Oblivious
by onalee
Summary: Hermione is forced to work with a stranger in capturing the death eaters that have eluded the ministry in the 6 years since the war ended. Draco Malfoy is glad that the ministry gave him enough polyjuice potion to last through the entire mission. Complete.
1. The Case

"Oh Hermione darling it's been ages!" Molly Weasley grasped me in a tight hug. I smiled, it had been far too long.

"I know Mrs. Weasley, it really has." I sighed.

"Well what are you waiting for, come in, come in." She insisted, brushing off my shoulders as I stepped inside.

"Hermione!" George's bright voice was louder than some of the others. The Weasley family had yet again grown since the last time I'd seen them all.

"Hi." I managed to get out before Ginny threw her arms around me and held on tight.

"Oh Hermione we thought we'd never get another meal graced by your presence." She grinned. I couldn't help but stare at her tummy though. Harry had told me the news months ago, but it was entirely different, seeing her ballooning out with child.

"Ginny, you look…fantastic, I'm so happy for you." I managed, I was bewildered, everyone seemed quite different, yet exactly the same.

"Good to see you Hermione." Arthur Weasley patted me gently on the back, and I could all but keep myself from tears. I couldn't believe how long I'd let myself go without hearing the nonstop racket from the freckled, redheaded clan that was my family. I'd all but lost myself in bits of conversation flying about and around me when I caught sight of Ronald.

"Blimey Hermione, it's been a long time." I wasn't sure whether he'd said it to himself or to me, but it didn't seem to matter. I stood rooted to my spot, regretting my snap decision to join them almost instantly.

He stood with his arms crossed loosely in front of him, a faint and very forced smile lingering on his lips. He looked the same, but completely different, it had been almost a year since I'd had to talk to him, and even then it was brief.

"Yeah a year I think." I sputtered in his general direction.

"How've you been?" He glanced down, and the noise of the family around us seemed to quiet. This was suddenly so awkward. I dare say this was the quietest I'd ever heard this large family.

"Erm, well you know. Alright. I've been busy, you know…with…work and such." I stumbled over my own sentence. It was amazing to me how nervous I still was around him. How much looking into his eyes still stung.

"I heard you took the store up?" I asked him desperately, trying to change the subject.

"He sure did!" George interjected playfully. I exhaled deeply, thankful for the turn in conversation. "Not quite as good with the ideas as me, but he's got a bit of a brain for investments and somebody's got to be the bud of my jokes." George laughed, throwing his arm around his brother.

"Hermione's doing very well herself." Harry stood up smiling warmly at me. I appreciated that George and Harry were apparently going to have this conversation for us.

"She's the finest healer I've ever worked with. I mean it isn't surprising, all considered." He shrugged. I blushed. "You wouldn't believe how well she held up in auror training though, I had a hard time keeping up with her myself." Harry beamed. It wasn't that true. Being a healer wasn't easy, not to mention the fact that I ran with aurors, the on call healer assigned to missions. The wounds I dealt with were almost always fatal. I was much more interested in dodging a curse or two than firing one back.

"I think I can believe that, I watched her take on Bellatrix, you know." Ron shrugged. Crimson flooded my cheeks, he had to bloody bring up the past already, and I'd only been there a few minutes.

"Come on you lot, it's time for dinner!" Mrs. Weasley came into the room quickly, ushering the last few of us having conversation into the dining room. I was thankful for her interjection, maybe today wouldn't be quite as hard as I thought.

I took a deep long breath while laugher and banter erupted around me. I tried to eat without causing too much attention, as much as I loved this family, I didn't particularly want to talk.

"You alright?" Harry whispered inconspicuously

"I'm fine." I said, giving him a weak attempted at a smile. "Really." I added for good measure. He let it go, but it wasn't long before a stream of questions was directed at me again. I hadn't been with the entire Weasley family in nearly a year, and that was for a good reason. I didn't want to be the girl that tore their family apart first of all. Considering mine and Ron's past the last thing I wanted was to intrude on his family so quickly. It had been over four years now since Ron had broken off our engagement and I still felt that nearly every life choice I made had everything to do with him.

"Saving lives as usual, that's Hermione for you." Arthur chuckled.

"Her skill out there is nearly perfected, without her I know I would've lost an arm or leg on most of my missions." Harry added, I tensed. I didn't dare look across from me at Ron.

"Not that there's anything wrong with that." Percy muttered, trying to be helpful. I closed my eyes, he made it worse.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I didn't have to open my eyes to know that Ron was speaking. "Being injured on the field isn't my idea of an unabashedly good time." He scowled. I glanced to him, his brow drawn together, looking down at his meal.

"No, Ron of course not, we all know that." His mother chided. "You were an exceptional auror."

"Mum." He warned.

"Yeah mate, hell, I'm not any better than you were, it's dumb luck and a good healer that I've got on my side." Harry added. I was almost shaking.

"That might have been useful when I'd gotten hurt." He said, rolling his eyes as he took another large bite of mashed potatoes, avoiding my gaze. I couldn't help but grit my teeth, anger washing over me.

"It's not like you didn't have _everything_ to do with my bloody career change Ronald." I spat, my hands folded in my lap. I was staring at him, but he refused to look up and it wasn't just because Molly's meal was enticing.

"Come off it Hermione, let's just lighten up." Ginny tried to soothe me.

"No, I will not _come off it_, Gin." I sighed, barely muttering now. "It's not like this was what I wanted with my life but everyone seems to overlook that." The last bit I was sure nobody heard until Ron's cheeks grew flush. I stared down at my food this time.

"Don't get all high and mighty with me. I remember me asking you _not_ to do this, not for me." I didn't have to look at him to know he was getting angry. I took a deep breath, swallowing a lump in my throat.

"Why else would I have done it?" I muttered, Harry coughed rather loudly, trying to cover my comment. I knew I was only fueling the fire.

"What was that Hermione?" Ron's voice was clipped, angry. This time I looked up. He was near as red as his hair, his lips pressed in a straight line. His knuckles grew white from gripping his fork so hard. This time I didn't back down.

"Nothing Ron, just that I wouldn't have chosen this path if not for you." I looked right at him, fighting the familiar sensation of tears.

"I don't understand you Hermione." His voice was rising as he spoke. "I gave you a clear out and you just didn't take it. In fact I remember asking you _not_ to choose that life, so don't put it on me that you hate your job. You knew there was nothing you could do for me." He was nearly yelling, his silverware clattering to the table.

"I do _not_ hate my job Ronald." It was the first thing that came to mind. Tears were blurring my vision.

"Ron, just….eat." Molly Weasley shot a menacing and yet despairing glance at her son.

Ron ate by the spoonful, shoving his face until his plate was clear. He didn't look at me through the rest of the meal.

"Sorry 'bout all that Hermione." Harry said later, rubbing the back of his neck. I shrugged.

"Less violent than it could have been I suppose." I said quietly, sighing.

"It'll get better, I'm sure it will." Ginny said, but she didn't seem so sure either.

"It's fine, it's about time we both got over it right, I mean it's been…" I trailed off, trying not to think about how long ago it was that Ron asked her for her engagement ring back.

"Four years." Harry said, Ginny elbowed him, giving him a look.

"It really has been that long." I said, wondering when I would finally stop letting Ronald Weasley control my life decisions.

I left soon after that, Ron seemed to have disappeared up to his room, so that was one goodbye I wouldn't have to go through yet again. I promised the lot of them I'd be back soon, but I honestly wasn't all that sure.

I stepped into my flat rather exhausted, and I headed right for my shower. I'd been working too hard lately, and by lately I guess I meant the last four years. I sighed, letting the hot water hit my back, noting a few bruises I couldn't quite reach.

After the war, Harry, Ron and I went straight to the auror offices. We didn't have much of a choice, not that we minded, but with the information we had regarding the final two years of the war, Kingsley wanted us there. Auror training started six months in, and being that we were the golden trio, we were thrown right into the ranks.

About a year after the war ended, I settled into the auror offices, putting myself behind the scenes, working on cracking cases of missing death eaters, war crimes and such. Back then my life was pretty good, though it was still chaotic from the post war events, I was happy. Ron and I were dating, I was in a job I loved, my life was headed somewhere. When Ron proposed I was overjoyed, we were so happy and so in love. But I let my job slip, I was in charge of one of the missions and I underestimated the death eaters they were facing. Ron barely made it to St. Mugo's alive. I blamed myself for it, his injuries were caused by dark magic I'd never witnessed. Only a year and a half after the war and Ron was barely able to sit up, much less fight.

I tried my best those next few months, to nurse him back to health, but he grew bitter and began to resent everyone. He wanted to be on the front lines again and there was nothing I could do for him. I made the decision then that I would no longer be helpless, I'm not that girl. I enlisted into healer training, but it was a demanding career move. I barely saw Ron, and when I did he was yelling at me. He asked for his ring back eventually. It completely broke me, but I threw myself into my work instead.

I barely slept, I never ate. I lived and breathed healing. I kept up with Auror training too. I wanted to do it all, and it was taking a toll on my body. Three years after our break up I was able to fight, handle cases and heal. They did call me the brightest witch of our age for a reason. I took pride in my work, and every case was personal. Now that I had everything together though, I realized I didn't have much of a life. I just worked.

I stepped out of the shower and threw on my sweats trying to clear my head. I had a big case coming up tomorrow, my biggest ever actually. I tried not to think of Ron in those last few moments before I drifted to sleep, but it was difficult. I'd spent the last four years banishing the idea of a future with him out of my mind, seeing him made it hard to think of anything else. I knew I wasn't still in love with him, but I'd been pushing away the hurt he caused me for years, I'd never really given myself a chance to get over it. Thankfully my exhaustion proved worth it, and I fell asleep to the sound of my own heartbeat.

* * *

><p>"I still don't see the necessity Minister." Draco Malfoy cleared his throat, trying to keep the obvious distaste from his tone.<p>

"Mr. Malfoy this is not optional. It is simply not safe for you to remain where you are. Although I'm sure the wards on your home are sufficient—" Kingsley began. I hid a scowl, my wards were impenetrable, I'd love to have a go at one of the death eaters that dared to reside within a mile of my home. "but we cannot run the risk of knowing that our biggest target and one of the heads of this case is sitting unprotected in a location that is not secured by the ministry." He finished.

I had learned in my years working at the ministry that it was best not to argue, especially being in my social standing. I grimaced at the idea of being removed from my home. I could take care of myself, after all I had managed to not fret about the thousands of death threats I'd procured over the years.

"And you don't consider Miss Granger a target?" I added almost too hastily. The remaining death eaters would jump at the chance to kill her rather than get revenge on me.

"Miss Granger is arguably the most proficient auror the ministry has, let me assure you that she is more than capable of taking care of both herself and you, Mr. Malfoy." Kingsley said. "Besides, it will make life a lot easier for you anyway, she is the second head on the case, with her quick thinking and your knowledge on the subject, this case should hardly be difficult, nor should it last long." Kingsley almost smiled at the end of his sentence.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. _None_ of these cases were easy. We were dealing with ex. Death eaters here, not to mention Voldemort supporters and sympathizers. Besides I hardly believed working with Granger was going to make time go by any faster. I nodded curtly, trying my best not to lose my temper with the man. This would be my final mission before my name was completely cleared and all the tabs the ministry had on me would be abolished. I would no longer have to spend my Thursday afternoons receiving therapy, and my Monday mornings getting my wand checked. I would finally be completely free.

"I'm starting you off with a months' supply of polyjuice potion." Kingsley continued, setting a decent sized trunk on the table. I grimaced. The thought of keeping myself under the polyjuice potion at all times for an undetermined, but probably lengthy, amount of time wasn't exactly exciting to me. I was to a certain extent thankful though, this meant that I could go wherever I pleased without a disapproving sneer being thrown towards me. The more important point though, was that Granger would never have to know who I really was, which would make working with her infinitely less difficult.

"I expect you won't be finished in that time, but this is enough to get you started." He stated. "As we discussed, you are not to leave your residency without the polyjuice potion, unless it is imperative to the mission. You may disclose your identity with your partner on the case, and only with her." He drawled on. I nearly let out a laugh at the thought of shaking hands with Granger, introducing myself as Draco Malfoy, her most hated rival. Kingsley must have noticed my unease.

"She will know that you're under polyjuice potion. Your choice to reveal your identity to her, I will leave to your discretion." I nodded in understanding. I was silently grateful.

"All your paperwork is finished, you'll introduced now as Mr. Dominick Evans." I raised an eyebrow at my new name and frowned. It was an odd feeling, not being a proud Malfoy, at least not at the moment. Truthfully the Malfoy name lost its pride six years ago, with this case complete, it would be a prideful name once more, I was determined of that.

"Thank you, minister." I said politely. He nodded at me in acceptance, and sighed, his face tightening.

"Mr. Malfoy," He leaned close to me, holding my eye contact, scrutinizing me. "This will be the last time I refer to you by that name for a while. You've done your fair share here at the ministry over the past six years. I believe whole-heartedly that you regret the lifestyle that was forced upon you." He paused and his tone became dark. "With that being said Draco, if you set so much as a toe out of line throughout this mission, I will not hesitate to put you back at square one. Are we clear?"

"Crystal clear, sir." I held his gaze for just a moment longer so he could sense the sincerity in my words.

"Miss Granger will be arriving any moment now. I suggest you take a few moments to take the potion in private before I formally brief the both of you on this case. You are dismissed." I nodded and took the trunk full of potions to the lavatory. I locked the door swiftly, and only then had I noticed that Kingsley had charmed my wand to appear just a bit different. It felt the same in my hands, no doubt was it my wand, but it was disguised just enough that nobody would take a second look at it. I was almost impressed at Kinsley's thorough nature, almost.

I didn't even look at the potion that I chugged down, plugging my nose. I nearly choked on the vile flavor, but I would have to get used to that eventually. It wasn't until that moment that I was curious at what I would look like. I'd been so caught up in preparing myself to work with Granger that it had slipped my mind entirely.

This polyjuice potion was entirely special, in my opinion it should not have even been considered a polyjuice potion at all. The potion transformed it's drinker into a person whom did not already exist. Instead of looking like another wizard, I had a look entirely to myself. This potion also lasted a lot longer than the normal rendition of polyjuice, so I'd only have to take it once or twice a day. I closed my eyes while I felt my skin bubble and stretch. It was such an odd sensation, and one I wasn't all too familiar with.

I braced myself over the sink when I looked in the mirror for the first time. To my surprise, I didn't look all too different. My hair was a darker, auburn color. My cheekbones looked less sunken in as my face had rounded. My nose was a bit stubbier and just by a guesstimate I was a few inches shorter. My skin had taken a peachier hue. The only bit of me that remained completely unchanged were my eyes. They were the same steel grey as always, haunted by the same memories. I wasn't recognizable by any means, but someone who knew me well might take a second look. Fortunately for me, Granger never looked at me longer than she absolutely had to.

I sighed, almost disappointed that I could still recognize myself. A small part of me had hoped that I could forget myself completely, if only for a little while. I'd spent a long time repenting for the little that I contributed to the wrong side of the wizarding war, but it would never be enough. My name would soon be cleared, and my mother could walk the city in peace, but I would always have the memories, the nightmares and the regret. My arm instinctively twitched. The mark was faded, but it was still there, no amount of potion could change that.

**a/n Some of you pointed out that I made some errors previously in mentioning Thanksgiving as it is not celebrated in England, I've corrected these mentions since then and I apologize for the error, thanks for reading! :) **


	2. Strained Introductions

"He knows more about the death eaters than we could ever hope to. Fortunately our minds do not have those twisted demoralizing paths to lead us astray, as he does. However in order to catch the last and most dangerous of the Voldemort sympathizers, it's important that we have someone on our side who _can_ take their thought process into account." Kingsley said, his back to me. "You'll still be head of the case Hermione." He added, throwing a smile at me. I couldn't return it.

My heart beat was erratic, it had been since I'd been informed that an ex-death eater was the person I'd be protecting and keeping in my home. I'd nearly fainted when Kingsley told me I may not know his identity either.

"How do you know he's on our side though? How can you be sure?" I asked, incredulous of his decision.

"He came to us the day the war ended and gave us everything he had on death eaters." Kingsley began. "He's worked in our offices since that day. He's done nothing but good for us, not to mention the fact that he's been under the highest, most crippling probation for all of that time. He's barely been able to cast a spell these last six years, we would know." He said. Kingsley seemed to really trust this man, but I could not wrap my mind around the fact that he could.

"You know better than anyone Miss Granger, that there were hundreds of death eaters by the time the war was over, and you handled a lot of those cases, our tips offs almost always came from the same source." My eyes widened. I always wondered how they'd gotten the ideas to catch some of the most elusive death eaters. I knew there was a spy behind the scenes, but I had no idea he'd actually been a death eater himself.

"His activity with the death eaters was brief and forced." Kingsley assured me. "You have no grounds to question where his loyalties lie." He was being firm on this, and I knew I had to accept it. "Besides, his alias will help you respect him as a wizard, case manager and most importantly as a human being." I knew he was right, I would have to trust this guy in order to work with him. My mind was racing as well as my heart now.

"He's as trustworthy as Severus was." He said softly. I looked up, he eyes were shining with sincerity and maybe a little sadness at the mention of Snape's name. I nodded. It was time to act professional, I had not spent the last four years in training to throw it away when I was handed an obstacle.

"Understood." I answered firmly. I would be professional about this, no matter how I was badly I was burning with curiosity. He appraised my answer for a moment, and nodded his head.

"I've summoned him in." Before he even finished his sentence, I spun around to see a man closing the door behind him.

"Miss Granger, this is Dominick Evans." Kingsley spoke. I stood up and took in the sight of him, I half expected to recognize him, although I knew I wouldn't. He was a few inches taller than me and had dark hair. He was thin, but muscular, with a bit of a rounded face. I appraised him for a moment, his features weren't quite, fitting. It was almost as though he'd been animated. He wasn't unattractive, just odd, and a little captivating. His eyes suddenly caught my attention and I recognized them at once. They were beautiful, and so familiar. I surely knew someone who had those eyes. They were a deep blue-grey, completely breath-taking. I knew then that I couldn't have recognized them, I wouldn't have forgotten a wizard or witch who had such striking eyes.

"Nice to meet you." I offered, extending my hand. He shook it firmly, a very forced smile on his face.

"You as well." He managed. I took a seat across from Kingsley, wasting no time further appraising my coworker. He sat down swiftly next to me, and looked to Kinsley for further instruction. I focused as well, ready to finally get the details of the case I'd been preparing for.

"I'm not going to waste your time here," Kingsley started "You two have the brightest young minds that I've ever seen. Both of you know how important this case is, and you're both passionate about it. I do not doubt your abilities." He paused. It was rare of Kingsley to speak with such flattery. "However, I will make your objectives clear. Find out who the leader of this revolutionist group is and bring them to justice by all means necessary." He cleared his throat, conjuring a parchment. "You are dealing with people who knew and worshiped the ideals of Voldemort." Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Dominick's hand twitch involuntarily. "You are dealing with more than one murderer. These murders have become more and more noticeable. We have reason to believe that the next planned murder will be high profile. Members of the Order of the Pheonix and the defected death eaters are at the highest risk." He looked up at us again.

"Your job is to solve the case as quickly and quietly as possible. All potential targets are under some extent of protection, you have authority to raise that protection if needed. I wish you both the best of luck. You will report your progress every Wednesday directly to me. This case is strictly confidential, although you will be working closely with Head-auror Mr. Potter. I trust you will not let me down." He stood up and put a small trunk on his desk, pushing it towards us. I stood when he extended his hand and I shook it, giving him a nod.

"Thank you sir." I added, grasping the handle of the trunk. Dominick shook the minister's hand as well. I strode out of Kingsley's office making sure Dominick was following me.

"Do you have your things?" I asked him, not making eye contact. I was nervous, but I wasn't sure why. I was definitely excited to crack open the trunk and absorb all of the information inside.

"I had them sent to your place this morning." He replied shortly. "I hope that's alright." He amended.

"Um, yes. That's...fine." I hated the idea of living with someone I didn't know at all, but it was necessary, and it wasn't like I never brought my work home with me.

"I have a study at my flat, it's more comfortable if you wanted to get started there. I figure we'll both overview all the details of the case a few times, taking notes. I'm sure that's going to take time." I said quickly, tripping over my words a little.

"Seems logical." He responded. I looked up at him, I couldn't read his expression, it was completely indifferent, almost cold. He started walking rather abruptly, and I had to jog a little to catch up.

"Where are you going?" I asked, bewildered.

"I assume we're traveling by Floo?" He said, confused.

"Oh, um yeah, sorry." I said. He was quite forward, and peculiar. I matched his pace as we headed to the fireplaces of the ministry.

I stepped into the fireplaces first, and arrived at my flat a moment later immediately taking out my wand to let my new guest through the wards. I looked around suddenly feeling self conscious of all my knick knacks. Before I had time to think anything else, Dominick stepped through the fireplace and brushed himself off with ease. For a moment I found myself staring at the way he moved, how smoothly he walked in. He almost had an air of arrogance to him.

"Granger?" My head shot up to look at his face, his eyebrow was raised in a questioning manner. It had been a long time since I'd been called strictly by my surname.

"Um, what?" I asked, color flooding to my cheeks.

"I asked you where I would be staying, so I could put away this trunk." He repeated crisply. It wasn't until he mentioned it that I noticed he was carrying a rather sizable trunk.

"I thought you'd had your things sent over already." I questioned.

"This is my supply of Polyjuice." He was staring off at something behind me, not making eye contact. I wondered why he even felt the need to disguise himself, I mean I knew he was a death eater. I hardly saw what else mattered. It wasn't as though I'd recognize him. Voldemort had so many followers by the time the war ended that it would be highly unlikely for me to know him. The way Kingsley described his involvement wasn't lost on me either. I'd never trust a death eater, clearly Dominick knew that, but considering his involvement was scarce and forced I didn't see why he was taking such heavy precautions.

"Right." I started, breaking myself out of my train of thought. "Well I have a guest room, it's right over here." I started. The guest room was right across from my room, and next to my study, it wasn't much, but at least I wasn't making him sleep on my couch.

"Thank you." He said curtly as I held the door open for him. I nodded, still blindly guessing at his identity.

"So I suppose your name isn't really Dominick?" I asked, trying to sound casual as I leaned in the door frame.

"I'd hoped we wouldn't be having _this_ conversation until much later Granger." He sneered. I was a bit taken aback. But what was I supposed to expect, he was a follower of Voldemort at one point or another. He couldn't be too happy about staying with a muggleborn.

"And for all intensive purposes, my name is Dominick." I let that sink in for a moment while he shuffled through his luggage.

"Well the study is across the hall, I'll be there when you're ready to get started." I sighed, closing his door lightly behind me. I leaned up against the wall, almost exhausted by the energy it was taking to even have a conversation with this man. I closed my eyes. It had been so long since I'd had a real friendship with anyone other than Harry. Even with Harry it was casual and light, very easy. I hadn't been up to socializing in years, I didn't have any practice. With Dominick, I could already tell things were going to be strained, and it wasn't as though I could avoid him, he lived a good four yards away from me.

I snapped out of it quickly, brushing myself off and stepping into my study, I would just have to pour myself into work, as usual. If Dominick was half as bright as Kingsley claimed, I might actually be able to finish this case quickly. So I opened up the trunk and began a thorough read-through of each parchment.

* * *

><p>I gritted my teeth and closed my eyes, trying to calm myself down. I knew working with Granger would not be easy, but being in her home was almost too much. I sat uncomfortably at the edge of the bed. Everything about her flat screamed Granger. From the knitted blankets and muggle contraptions to the piles of books and parchment scattered anywhere and everywhere, it was definitely her home. I took a deep breath, annoyed by her audacity. She'd just met me, we'd been in the same vicinity for maybe ten minutes and already she was questioning me about my identity. It was rude, obnoxious and so very Granger.<p>

Already I was beginning to wonder how I was supposed to get through this mission, and it hadn't been an hour. I thought of my mother briefly, and it calmed me down. This was for our freedom. After this case I would let the media clear my name whole heartedly while I was finally granted the freedom to travel abroad and get away from the mess that was my life. My Mother too, had suffered greatly since the war. Although her name was cleared in court almost immediately after the war by none other than Harry potter himself, she still carried the heavy burden that was the Malfoy reputation. My father was immediately captured and sent to Azkaban for his crimes, and although my Mother resented him for what he'd done to our family, she still mourned his loss. She didn't know how to live another way.

I shook myself out of thought quickly, and gathered myself up to head to the study. The sooner I started work on this case the faster it would get done. Granger's study was impeccable, and bigger than either one of the bedrooms she'd just shown me. No doubt it was meant to be the master bedroom in the flat. I rolled my eyes, of course she would turn the biggest room into her own personal study. Bookshelves ran from floor to ceiling on each wall while journals and parchments covered the two desks and coffee table. There was a large red sofa centered in front of the fireplace, which I was pretty sure she'd conjured herself. There was a plush armchair in the corner of the room, next to one of the desks. I had an eerie feeling that this was precisely how Griffindor's common room looked and felt, with a few more books.

"I've set half the parchments on that desk." Granger muttered absently from the sofa, her eyes didn't leave the parchment she was hunched over when she spoke. "I figure we'll each go through half and then swap." She said.

"Sounds delightful." I spat sarcastically. She glanced up, confusion in her expression. I opened my mouth, but I didn't know what to say. I wasn't used to her just…tolerating me. Before I spoke she turned away, immersed in her work once more. At least she was focused. I strode across the room and took a seat in front of the desk. The chair was a bit too cushy for my taste. I grimaced and ignored it. It was clear Granger liked to be comfortable when she worked. I focused my attention to the parchments, and began and long day and night of reading.

The amount of information here was completely obnoxious. After two hours of reading over dead end investigations and suspect lists I'd become annoyed. I'd been a part of nearly every one of these investigations to begin with, I'd brought about the capture of many of these death eaters myself, this information was nothing new.

"Frustrating, isn't it?" I jerked my head to the left. Granger stood there effortlessly, running a hand through her hair.

"Just a bit." I said, focusing on making my tone light. It didn't work. I sighed heavily, and swallowed what was left of my pride.

"Sorry. It's an adjustment, being taken from my home." I tried, not looking at her.

"I understand." She said. "I'm sorry about that." I glanced up, she was biting her lip, lost in thought. I rolled my eyes, like she could possibly understand.

"I assume you've worked on a lot of these cases too." She drawled on. I nodded. "I think we should compile lists of suspects for each crime." She started. I turned my attention toward her. "So we have a base master list to go off of, and then we can narrow it down from our notes on each case." I nodded, I hated to admit that it seemed like a good starting tactic.

"Alright." I said. "How do you want to go about compiling our lists?" I asked, I wanted to argue with her as little as possible, I didn't want her to hate me just yet. She'd have plenty of time to hate me when this was all over and she realized she'd been sharing her home with her rival.

"We'll just go through all the cases separately, make our own lists and compare." She said simply, sitting back down after stretching her limbs. I nodded, grabbing a quill and a blank piece of parchment, writing the names of the people I'd once been close to, people I'd once known.

"Are you hungry?" The sound of her voice from across the room frustrated me, this was the second time today she had interrupted my thoughts. I glanced to the clock. I was surprised to find that I was half ten, and we'd been at this all night.

"I suppose so." I stated. This territory not only irritated me, but it made me nervous. The last thing I wanted was to share me meals with her, but what other options did I have, I was in her home.

"Well then we should go pick up some food." She said slowly, almost nervously. "I'd go myself but I'm not exactly supposed to leave you unattended for." Her voice was small with embarrassment. I rolled my eyes and decided to spare her anymore of my attitude. I stood up and gestured for her to lead the way.

"You really aren't one for words then?" She asked me moments later as we walked side by side in complete silence down the muggle streets of London.

"I don't see the need while I'm working." I replied.

"I agree." She said curtly. She nearly surprised me with that answer. If I could get her to agree with me and shut her mouth more often we might have a chance of surviving each other.

"Why didn't we just floo?" I asked, growing impatient. I had long lists of death eaters scrolling through my mind, I was hardly in the mood for a leisurely walk.

"It's a muggle place." She said carefully. Instantly I knew what she was doing, she was testing me. She was weary of my allegiances and she was testing my reaction to a muggle based environment. Her lack of faith in me, though expected, was making me want to scream. I didn't need to overcomplicate this case by proving myself to bloody Hermione Granger on the side.

"I hope it's worth the walk." I kept my tone as casual as possible. Muggles truly did not bother me anymore. In fact I'd spent a great deal of time in the muggle world these past six years. I enjoyed walking among them, having them completely oblivious to my hate crimes against them. I hated the judgment that passed over me each time I set foot in any public establishment in the wizarding world. Unbeknownst to Hermione Granger the muggle world had been a great source of escape for me.

My prejudice was long gone, I'd witnessed too much horror under the Dark Lord to respect his values. The thoughts and morals my father had drilled into me all seemed obsolete the day he was sentenced to Azkaban. Blood was just blood to me now, Kingsley was perhaps the only one who believed me when I said that, but how could I blame anyone for holding my actions against me. I hated Hermione Granger because she was the know-it-all frizzy haired bookworm who made my years at Hogwarts a living hell. I hated her because we were fundamentally different and she would always argue with anything and everything I said. Her blood meant nothing to me now, it was just blood. Her personality on the other hand, had me itching to hex her.

"I think it is." She started, stopping in front of one of my favorite muggle diners. It was almost too bad that I wasn't myself; the waiter would probably recognize me.

"Ah, so you like fish and chips then?" I smirked, holding open the door for her. I might detest her, but I would certainly prove her wrong at all costs. She was shocked. She had to blink twice before walking into the establishment at a brisk pace and seating us at a booth.

"You've heard of this place?" She asked, not bothering to hide how dumbfounded she was. I nodded, not bothering with a menu. "But its…muggle." She said, confused.

"I know." I replied coolly. I loved proving her wrong. "I like to have an escape from the wizarding world, as I imagine you do as well." My heart was heavy, recognizing the truth in my words. The difference between us was that Hermione was hiding from the fame and adoration, while I was running from the disgust of the general public.

"Maybe we aren't so different." She muttered, almost her herself, but I knew she couldn't be more wrong.

* * *

><p><strong>Hey, this is my first fic so please be kind! I'm hoping that none of you will be too distraught with my details, I'm trying to keep things as realistic as possible.<strong>

**That being said I'm afraid you'll have to wait a few chapters for the Dramione goodness you are seeking. I want this to be somewhat realistic, which means Hermione and Draco will detest each other for some time to come.**

**So after these first few chapters things will pick up! Stick with me :)**

**I'll try and update at least once a week, hopefully more than that, thanks for reading.**

**-Onalee**


	3. Outdated Photographs

**Disclaimer: I obviously do NOT own Harry Potter, nor his wizarding world thats JKRowlings job.**

I had decided that he was almost detestable. I barely knew Dominick and he was driving me mad with the awkward silence that he left between us. The first night at dinner, he barely spoke two sentences, but in those sentences I learned a lot about him. I couldn't believe he spent his time in muggle diners. It went against everything that death eaters stood for. It seemed like everything he said and did was to deter my attention from him, it was like the last thing he wanted was to get to know me. I could have cared less about knowing him too, but I wished he would at least humor me by prattling on about the weather once in a while.

Above all that, his answers to any questions I had were completely vague. I asked him if he'd been to Hogwarts since the final battle, hoping to get an ounce of information from him. He could have said that it held no significance since he didn't go there as a child, or perhaps he had a child there himself. Maybe he participated in the battle of Hogwarts. But no, he answered me with a smug "I have no reason to."

I fumed each night when I retreated to my bedroom, my eyes tired from reading, my hands cramping from writing. I nearly always had a headache from either compiling names of death eaters or desperately trying to figure out who I was living with. In either case I was fresh out of ideas and I was becoming weary. I used to pride myself in being the hardest worker I knew, but Dominick never seemed to leave the study either. It was almost a competition between us, to see who could get the most done.

The only times we bothered to speak to each other were for meals. Sometimes he managed to get away even then without saying anything to me. The third day I was startled to find breakfast being carried into my bedroom by an impish house elf.

"Hello Miss Granger, Daisy has brought you some nourishment. Master says Daisy will work here for a while." The house elf smiled sincerely at me. I was in shock. I had to blink a few times before I could even acknowledge her. I took the food from her slowly, as to not offend her.

"Um, thank you." I uttered, bewildered. I'd never had a house elf before, nor did I plan to keep one now. Dominick had to know my views on house elves. The more awake I became the more enraged I was as well. How dare he try to irritate me on purpose? As soon as she was gone I stormed into the study, feeling completely disrespected that he'd allowed a servant in my house. Anyone who knew the first thing about me knew that I would never condone keeping a house elf.

"Evans, can you please explain to me what in Merlin's name is this house elf doing here?" I fumed. He casually looked over his shoulder, shrugging. It only infuriated me more.

"Believe it or not, she actually likes to serve me, and I'm perfectly decent to her. I figured we could use the extra set of hands here anyway." His tone was only slightly clipped.

"I don't want her here." I repeated, not budging. This was my house and I was still in charge.

"She's done nothing to wrong you Granger. She just wants to bring you food at your leisure, ask her why don't you." He huffed, shooing me away with his hand. I was appalled, not only was he disrespecting me in my own home, but he was ignoring everything I had to say.

"Has Daisy offended Miss somehow?" A small voice sniffed from the entry way. My heart throbbed.

"No, Daisy, you just erm…caught me off guard." I tried, forcing a light smile on my face.

"Daisy will knock next time, she is so very sorry Miss." The house elf trembled.

"Do you want to stay here, Daisy?" I asked, at a last ditch effort to make it look like keeping this house elf was my intent and decision.

"Yes, Master is here so Daisy is here too." She nodded her head quickly. I nodded, not surprised by her answer in the slightest.

"Very well, um, you can go now." I said awkwardly. I caught Dominick sneering in the arm chair, scribbling all over some parchment.

"You should have asked me." I snapped at him.

"Oh, sorry Granger, that I didn't think to ask you before having someone make you some breakfast. I'll be sure to think of your feelings next time." He grumbled sarcastically. I was livid now. He was insulting and just plain irritating to have around. I opened my mouth to speak, but he shot me a glare. His eyes sent chills down my spine, something about that icy stare was far too familiar.

"It's been three days, I dare say we're ready to compare our lists." He said smoothly. I pursed my lips and snatched up my parchment. I wouldn't argue over anything unnecessary when it came to this case. I was tense as I sat on the sofa, he in the armchair across from me. I cleared my throat as we began trading names, presenting a case for those we disagreed upon, which was nearly every one.

"He simply doesn't have the guts Granger." Dominick was heated, obviously losing his temper and being completely irrational. We were only a quarter way through our lists and we were at each other's throats.

"That's irrelevant." I snapped.

"No, no it's not. He doesn't have the audacity to do something like that, it's not in him." He argued. I rolled my eyes, smacking my forehead in my hands.

"Listen Evans, clearly you think you 'know' this guy, but I'm not going to let your non-objective judge of character get in the way of the facts." I stared at him hard and he met my gaze.

"What exactly are the facts then?" It sounded more of a challenge than a question, and I accepted it.

"The fact is that he was potentially at the scene of three crimes, and has a history of dark magic, we can't go cutting corners for people like this because soon there will be no suspects." I argued.

"Oh please, we have hundreds of people on this list and we're looking for a group of two to maybe ten!" He yelled. "And just because he _could_ have been at the scene of a crime, doesn't mean he was, and it certainly doesn't make him guilty." He seethed.

"But he could have been! Isn't that the point of this exercise anyway? To see who could have done these things?" I asked, incredulous of his argumentative nature. He was nearly as stubborn as I was.

"No, the point of this exercise is to narrow down our suspects, so we take a step forward in solving this, not a step back." He sighed, throwing his parchment to the floor and making his way from the room.

"Where are you going?" I gawked. He spun on his heel to glare at him.

"I'm headed to the bathroom, care to babysit me?" He spat, leaving me speechless as he stormed out. In his absence I massaged my temples profusely trying to rid myself of the headache I knew he'd caused. I'd never worked with someone like this. I didn't care how cunning he seemed to be, I wasn't willing to cut corners on this case, and considering that his freedom rode on its success, I figured he would feel the same way, apparently not. He was much too cocky to feel that his intuitions were anything other than fact.

"We should set aside the ones we don't agree on and just try and get through our lists." I glanced up, his arms were crossed as he leaned in the doorway, his expression hard.

"I agree." I whispered, I didn't have enough energy to keep fighting with him. "Lucious Malfoy is my next name." I declared as he took his seat on the chair. He froze, caught off guard. I knew he'd have a problem with that name, considering Lucious had been in Azkaban for six years.

"Completely Obsolete." He uttered in a firm tone, capturing my gaze with his stormy grey eyes.

"I know that's he's been detained for years now, and call it a hunch, but these death eaters need a leader and it seems to me that almost every death eater anywhere near Voldemorts inner circle has been locked up for years." I started, not daring to look at him while I explained myself. "I just feel that if anyone was capable of contacting people outside of Azkaban, it would be Lucious." I said. He was silent for a long while. I swallowed a lump in my throat, I was nervous for his reaction.

"I will try to ignore how hypocritical you're being and just go with facts." He sneered. I could hear the anger in his voice, he was fighting to control himself. "Although you make an interesting point, with that in mind we would have to add all of the one hundred and forty-three incarcerated death eaters to our list of suspects. We cannot afford to expand our horizons so frivolously. We'll keep Lucious's name in mind; however he should be crossed off this list because he simply doesn't meet the parameters." He said, pinching the bridge of his nose in an effort to stay calm. I wanted to argue with him, to tell him just exactly what Lucious was capable of, but something told me that right now wasn't the best time for him to hear it. So instead I said nothing and crossed his name off of my list.

"Let that be proof that I am capable of compromise." I snorted. Silence hung in the air until a clap startled me. Dominick began a slow steady clap.

"Never thought I'd see the day that Hermione Granger compromised, congratulations." He said humorlessly. I wanted to strangle him, but in spite of myself I let out a long overdue laugh. Maybe it was the built up anger or stress, but I let out a laugh that made me feel hysterical, and when I looked over to Dominick, he was chuckling just a little bit too.

* * *

><p>Working with Granger was every bit as difficult as I thought it would be, but living with her wasn't. I was initially concerned with the territory that came along with living in her world, but it didn't take long to realize that she didn't have a life outside of work at all. Of course I was completely content with the fact that she had absolutely no social life whatsoever, but to my dismay it did make me painstakingly curious.<p>

At first I'd thought she was just being her stubborn, arrogant self by spending day and night slaving over the case in her study. The first few nights I stayed up as well, not wanting to let her get a leg up. I knew we'd disagree and I wanted just as much knowledge as she did, after all this case meant everything to me. I was irritated by what I thought were her motives to 'best' me, until I began to notice things about her that were just a little bit off.

Sometimes we'd be sitting there, working silently for hours and every once in a while she'd catch a glance of me and gasp almost inaudibly, as though she was startled to see another human being in her presence. As if that wasn't annoying enough, she had no idea to how have a conversation. I would rather not talk to her at all, but if she insisted as much as she did she would need some lessons. Every time she said anything it was socially awkward, unacceptable or almost like she was talking to herself. I had no problem putting Granger in her place by ignoring her questions or eluding conversation, however I was surprised to find that she just wasn't used to talking to people.

Living in her flat was something I couldn't avoid and although I wasn't looking for anything, I did notice that all of her pictures were entirely outdated. She had a few photographs of herself with Potter and the Weasel, laughing about something obsolete during her years at Hogwarts. I grimaced whenever I saw those particular pictures, feeling an odd mixture of resentment and regret at my own adolescence. It seemed as though most of her pictures were taken just after the war. Some of the pictures I recognized from the daily prophet, who became fairy obsessed with the "golden trio" for a few years. Most of the pictures were of the three of them, all glowing in post-war glory, laughing in triumph, not a single worry in their smiles. I longed to feel carefree for once in my life, I surely deserved it, after the work I put into myself. I nearly gagged when I first saw the picture of Weasley planting a wet smooch unexpectedly on her mouth as she showed off her engagement ring to the photographer.

It was hard to escape the media frenzy that was Granger and Weasley's break-up. I tried my best in those days to be completely oblivious to the three of them, but curiosity got the best of me, considering I'd had a part in their downfall, no matter how trivial. I was fighting alongside Potter, under another alias when Weasel was injured. I saw it happen, and in my opinion Weasley shouldn't have been fighting at all. He might have stood behind Potter all those years, but he needed another few weeks in training. Of course he was much too big-headed to stay back for once and take the blow to his ego with pride. He froze up on the spot when he was hit and if he'd acted sooner the damage wouldn't have been so entirely permanent.

The media obviously didn't see it that way, but I couldn't feel bad for him, he was arrogant to think that he could walk right up to the front lines when he just wasn't good enough to. The only reason I was even slightly affected by the loss of Weasel was the correlative loss of Granger. Granger worked out a lot of the finite details on the raids we were working on, making the whole process smoother and faster. I took a good look at each case before we put it into action, changing things here and there, but most of the legwork was done for me, so all I had to do was see the execution through. I never knew that Granger had been doing the leg work for me until she resigned from her position immediately after Weasley was injured, and began to study healing.

She was a fool. From the day I heard of her career change I lost the tiny ounce of respect for her intelligence that I'd built up through the year that she'd worked on cases I was a part of. I didn't need the many articles by Rita Skeeter to tell me that she'd blamed herself for his injury, it was already obvious by her change of employment. She was daft to think that Weasley didn't get cursed on his own accord and I was less than surprised when I read that they'd called it quits. After a while the both of them started living more quiet lives, and I only had to see Potter's grinning mug disgracing the cover of my news each day. Living here made me start to wonder what she'd been up to these last four years. At the end of the day it was more convenient for me that her focus was entirely on the case, however I did expect to have at least a little time to myself, and it was becoming more glaringly apparent with each passing day that I would have no such thing.

Having no personal time to myself was annoying for a lot of reasons. The first was that I wasn't used to my new identity. I had plenty of practice over the years, becoming just another face in the crowd, someone who was eerily forgettable. This was different through, not only did Granger know I was a defected Death Eater under an alias, but she was constantly probing me for information on anything and everything about myself. At first it was just little things that had to do with the case, but as we really got into arguments it was becoming more and more difficult to make my retaliations without dropping hints here and there about who I really was.

I couldn't manage to conceal my detest for her, which I'd originally planned to do. As much as I bit back my tongue on every occasion I could, speaking my mind to her seemed to come too naturally, harassing her was like a second nature. As much as it had nothing to do with her blood anymore, it was still just as difficult to fight. I'd grown up hating her, putting my differences aside wasn't as do-able as I'd once thought. Granger irritated me most though because she was persistent. Where many would falter in their pursuit to get to know me, she would not, and that was something that made me nervous and livid at the same time.

It had been almost a week, and Granger had yet again fallen asleep half off the sofa. I left the study quietly, noting the time. It was only half eleven, and perhaps the first and last opportunity I'd have to floo my mother as I promised her. I walked carefully into her sitting room and with a quick glance behind me, I stuck my head into the fireplace.

"Oh Draco!" My mother exclaimed. I smiled, a real smile. It felt good to hear my mother's voice.

"Mother." I nodded.

"How are you, are you well?" She asked quickly. "I haven't heard from you as you promised." She half-scolded, but there was too much worry in her voice for me to take her seriously.

"I'm fine. It's been…more difficult than I thought. I thought I'd be able to owl you but Granger's pretty intent on figuring out who I am, I'd rather she not have my post looked into." I joked, but at the same time wondered if she would go that far.

"Oh I see." She whispered. "Your disguise, it's…sub-par." She noted. "I'd of thought the ministry could hide you better." She said.

"It's a very new potion, very few would even think to connect the dots." I shrugged, but I knew one of the few was Hermione Granger herself.

"Are you alright?" She asked, a bit more serious.

"Yes mother I'm fine. I'm very busy. I'm hoping to get this done as soon as I can. I know this buys your freedom to travel too." I gave her a half smile.

"I couldn't care less as long as you're well." She said.

"How are you Mother?" I asked, changing the subject, I knew I didn't have long to talk to her, I was already pushing it.

"I'm fine." She sighed. "A little lonely, you see my only son hardly visits anymore." She chuckled.

"I'm working on it." I scowled.

"I know you are. You better hurry back, you wouldn't want Miss Granger to know that her partner floos his mother." She smiled.

"Love you." I said hastily before removing my head from the fireplace. I sighed, rubbing the soot off my shoulders.

"You floo your Mum?" Very muscle in my body tensed when I heard her voice. I went into panic, recalling everything I'd said, knowing my mother had spoken my name. I tried to calm myself, preparing for the worst as I turned around. I expected to see her livid, her wand pointed towards me, as she prepared to boot me from her house and from society, as if she could manage to. Instead I was shocked to find her casually leaning against the wall, her arms loosely crossed, her wand nowhere in sight.

"On occasion." I mumbled, trying not to sound worried.

"Interesting, I hadn't pegged you for the type." She whispered, sauntering off down the hall. She'd left me speechless. She definitely didn't know who I was, but she was coming way too close. I'd worked too hard to let anyone come in my way. I would not be so careless again.

**Hey guys, thanks so much for reading. I had a hard time with this chapter, I just want to get to the good stuff but, like I said these first probably 5 chapters are going to be about characterization and setting up the plot and blah blah blah, so hang in there its going to get more interesting soon! I'll keep updating as much as I can. :)**

**Please reviewwwww! it makes me want to write faster :)**


	4. The Burrow

**Disclaimer: I obviously do not own Harry Potter, nor his wizarding world. That is JKRowlings job. **

I stood in the shower for a long time, letting the water run down my body, loosening my muscles ever so slightly. I wasn't ready for this. I wasn't ready for Dominick to see me in this environment either. I couldn't do it. I took in another shaky breath. I was confused by him. Everything he did was entirely confusing. It was like he wanted to convince me of what an annoying git he was at all costs. Every time I almost believed him though, I turn around to find he's doing something kind. I'd caught him just a few days ago telling his mum that he loved her. My gut told me that there was something fundamentally good in him, despite the fact that he was working so hard to prove to me otherwise. It was obvious that he had distaste for me, but I didn't fully understand why.

We were both competitive, intellectual and relentlessly stubborn. At first I'd thought that his prejudices had caused him to despise me, but as time wore on it became clear that his prejudices hardly affected him anymore. As much as I'd protested to keeping a house elf, when he thought I wasn't paying any attention I saw him exchanging pleasantries with Daisy, almost as if they were friends. He was raised to hate me, I knew that. All the death eaters were raised that way, but there was something different about him. I sighed in defeat, killing my train of thought where it stood; I was much too tired to continue thinking about him. After all I had bigger things on my plate for today.

We were meeting Harry today, to discuss protection over the list of people we deemed to be in the most immediate danger. I didn't want Dominick around my one and only friend in the world, it just seemed too personal. In addition to that, Dominick was bound to argue with Harry, just like he did with me; after all he didn't seem to be too fond of the 'golden trio'. Unfortunately Harry wasn't really the part that I was worried about. We'd decided over much deliberation that Ron, Harry and I were the most sought after targets. We decided that Ron would need ample protection, considering that half of the Order of the phoenix was nearly always at the burrow with him. So Ron and Molly were both attending the meeting with Harry. As if that wasn't bad enough, Ginny had recently gone on bed rest, and Harry was refusing to leave her side, so the meeting would naturally be at the burrow. Essentially I was meeting Ron on his territory to talk about how I was going to need to protect him. It was the most sensitive subject between us that there was, I would almost rather discuss the failed wedding plans we had than go over how Ron would need to be protected. He would take it as a blow to his ego, and he would think that I was delivering that blow personally. It was bound to be a nightmare.

I got out of the shower and took my time dressing myself, brushing my hair, taking a deep breath in and another one out. My skin was becoming blotchy from the nerves. I was determined not to have a breakdown at the burrow. I would try to keep this professional. When I finally looked in the mirror, it became apparent that no matter how much time I spent getting ready, I would look like I'd just rolled out of bed. It might have been the late nights and early mornings taking a toll on the bags under my eyes, but I had a feeling it went a lot deeper than that. I took another deep breath and did whatever I did when things looked bleak.

"I am Hermione Jean Granger." I whispered into the mirror, willing myself to muster ever ounce of confidence I could. "I fought death eaters and hunted horcruxes. I helped take down Voldemort. I save people's lives." I whispered it three more times, until I believed myself just a little, when I jumped at one faint knock on my door.

"Granger, we're going to be late." Dominick snapped through the wall between us. I sighed, snatching up my wand.

"Let's be off then." I said with false bravado, throwing open the door and blowing by my colleague with ease. I suddenly frowned at a realization.

"We'll have to side along apparate." I managed, glancing back at him. Something about apparating with someone was almost intimate. It definitely required trust, and that was something that I was almost positive that Dominick didn't have for me.

"Why's that?" He asked, trying to hide a scowl.

"Their wards are rather, complex, flooing into their home is next to impossible unless you're blood related. Trust me, apparating will be faster." I assured him. I could do this, I had too. He nodded, and to my surprise he gripped my upper arm, carefully holding the rest of himself away from me.

"Splinch me Granger, and there will be unforeseen consequences." His tone was peculiar, and had to look at him to see that he was half-way teasing me. I let out a small almost forced laugh before apparating us to the edge of the burrow's territory.

"Impressed?" I grinned, glancing to Dominick who immediately released his grip on me upon our landing.

"Hardly, you have a reputation to live up to you know. They call do you the brightest witch of our age." He muttered, matching my strides as he walked alongside me. I ignored him.

"When we get there, let's not waste any time. I just want to pass along our information and assign our aurors, no time for tea or nonsense like that." I started, making my objectives clear. He let out a barking laugh that startled me.

"Aw Granger you're no fun. You'll have a hard time talking me out of crumpets with the chosen one, it just seems like an unabashedly good time." He mocked me, laughing. I let out a laugh myself, having tea and crumpets with an ex- death eater did ring as a bit humorous. He spoke up again, "You're the one who needs the little pep talk, aren't you? You're the one who's friends with Potter and Weasley, right? " The question was almost rhetorical, and thankfully enough we'd just reached the door when he finished asking it. I exhaled a little too loudly before knocking, earning a curious look from Dominick.

"Hermione, glad you're here." Harry beamed. I smiled, throwing my arms around him, glad he was the one who'd answered the door. I didn't want to let go, because as soon as I did I knew I'd have to face Ron.

"Me too." I smiled. Dominick let out an audible cough.

"Oh erm… this is my partner, Dominick Evans." I said, releasing my grip on Harry, embarrassed that I'd become emotional so quickly.

"Good to meet you." Harry said, extending his hand. Dominick shook his hand politely. "You've worked on a lot of the raids with us from what I've heard. Brilliant work mate, we'll solve his case in no time." Harry grinned. I watched Dominick carefully as he placed a forced and polite smile on his face.

"Thank you Mr. Potter." He offered, a little too formal for Harry's taste. I smiled to myself, realizing that maybe it wasn't just me who felt out of place at the burrow.

"Well um, right this way then, we'll get started." Harry said, clearing his throat and leading the way to the dining room table. I wondered if I would ever be prepared to see Ron. It was just as bad as the last time. He was sitting in his chair, next to Molly, looking bored, a small smile on his face. He glanced up at me, and I gave him the best attempt at a smile that I could possibly manage. It wasn't until I felt a careful light pressure of two fingertips on my shoulder that I realized I hadn't sat down. I turned to give Harry a reassuring smile for reminding me to sit, but I was surprised to see that it had been Dominick. I blinked profusely for a moment before gathering myself up and focusing at the task at hand.

"I'm Dominick Evans, I'm working on this case with Hermione." Dominick started, extending his hand to Molly. I was stunned to hear the smoothness in his voice, especially when saying my first name.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Molly." She said shaking his hand.

"Ron." Ronald offered curtly, shaking his hand as well. I took a shaky breath, realizing it was my turn to speak, when to my surprise Dominick did it for me.

"We've called this meeting to address some security concerns." He began. "In our studies we've learned that the 'golden trio' so to speak will be a sought after target for our perpetrator. We've also concluded that members of the Order of the Phoenix are in danger as well. Which is why we decided it would be best to address the three of you at the same time." I tried my best not to gape at his people skills. He was persuasive and alluring, nothing like the man who sat in the armchair of my study, arguing with me all day long.

"Potter, I understand that you've taken a leave off work while your wife continues her pregnancy, which is just as well for us. You're both targets and should be amply protected. Although you've proven that you can handle yourself, having an extra auror in your area would be nothing but beneficial for your wife and growing family." Dominick said firmly. He knew just what buttons to push with Harry. He knew that Harry wouldn't argue when it came to protecting his wife and child. I was more than impressed.

"Mrs. Weasley, we've called you here because not only is Ron a target, but so is your home. Any member of your family would be a prize to a death eater, considering how infamous you all are for your contributions to the Order of the Phoenix and the wizarding war." He began, "We thought it would be best for you to have multiple aurors in your vicinity until we have this threat detained." He finished eloquently. I couldn't believe his audacity, and this time I was impressed by it. I had no idea how persuasive he could be. His perception of people was incredible as well, it almost made me self conscious, surely he had me figured out by now. I could have cared less in that moment though, I was just thankful he'd spoken for us, and done such a great job with it.

"My family is fully capable without the help of aurors." Ronald began. I knew he would take this personally. "If you haven't noticed we're infamous in the wizarding world for a reason." He added hastily. I suddenly became nervous.

"I disagree Ronald." Molly chimed in. "Although most of us are fully equipped, George and Bill have little ones who are constantly in and out of the burrow, and you can't argue that they would know how to handle themselves if we were ambushed." She argued.

"I agree Mrs. Weasley." Harry said, taking authority as head auror, "I'll get my best men on the job." He nodded sternly, speaking to Dominick.

"Well now what about Hermione?" Ron asked, my heart beat became erratic as he looked over to Harry. "You can't be telling me that she doesn't need this ample protection shit." He was getting agitated.

"Granger and I are both trained in auror defense mechanisms." Dominick provided. Ron looked like he'd been hit upside the head.

"So am I!" He exclaimed. "You don't see me getting all bloody proud!" He bellowed.

"Actually that is precisely what you're doing." Dominick seethed. "I'm only doing my job Weasley." He retorted coldly. A wave of déjà-vu washed over me when Dominick spat Ron's last name.

"Enough." Molly interjected before Ron could speak. "I will not do this again." She whispered menacingly. My face flushed with embarrassment, this was my fault.

"My apologies Mrs. Weasley, perhaps we should continue this conversation alone, while Potter and Granger work out some details." Dominick offered. I was shocked, more than that I was grateful. Ron seemed just as taken aback as I was when he stumbled out of his chair and stomped to the door, Dominick throwing me a reassuring nod before retreating after him. Dominick certainly wasn't the cold-hearted man that he painted himself to be. He was kind. He may not like me, but he certainly wasn't evil, not one bit.

"Good bloke, Evans is." Harry said absently, before delving into the details of our work.

* * *

><p>This trip to the Burrow was indefinitely more difficult than I'd thought it would be. If someone had told me I'd be heading over to the burrow with Hermione Granger, I'd have laughed in their face. Unfortunately there I was, and Granger was a bloody mess. She walked out of her room looking like she'd sold her soul only moments before. If that wasn't enough to set the mood for the day, when she got there, she practically jumped Potter's bones in an attempt to not see the Weasel.<p>

I thought things couldn't get worse for me when she completely froze upon seeing the redheaded git that was her ex-fiancé. If I hadn't known Weasley well enough to know he couldn't be capable of wandless magic, I'd of thought he stunned her. I had to physically remind her to take a seat, and then lead the entire conversation myself. She was ridiculous. She'd faced countless death eaters, destroyed horcruxes and battled against the dark lord himself, but she was mortified of the _Weasel_ in a way that I just could not understand. She might be incredibly annoying and obnoxious but it didn't settle in my stomach, just letting her hang there that way. So I was on my best behavior, taking as much of the pressure off her as I could. Unfortunately my good intentions landed me in the position of playing babysitter for an overemotional Ronald Weasley.

"I don't even see where you get the authority." He muttered, pacing his tiny living room yet again. I wondered to myself how in the world they got their entire clan in here.

"I'm head of the case." I replied leisurely, trying not to let him agitate me. Unfortunately his very presence was enough to make me gag myself.

"Who the hell did you say you were?" He snapped, pointing a finger at me. I grimaced, tempted to hex that look right off his face.

"Dominick Evans." I said through gritted teeth. I didn't like to be put on the stand.

"I haven't bloody heard of you, and you're telling _me, _that I need to be protected? That's laughable. I spent my entire life chasing after death eaters. I know how to defend myself and my family." He fumed. I was growing more and more impatient with every insult he threw out. I was so temped to hex him that my hand was twitching.

"You'd be surprised." I replied darkly. He scoffed in an arrogant manner.

"What in the hell is that supposed to mean?" He asked dumbly. I was nearly seeing red. My lips were pursed in a tight line as I focused on not throwing a curse at the idiot. My hand twitched again, and this time his eyes shot right to it and widened. I didn't have time to explain myself. In a split second he grabbed his wand,

_"Stupefy!" _He bellowed, I narrowly dodged his curse, grabbing my own wand.

_"Expelliarmus!" _I shot back, his wand effectively hitting the floor with a clatter. I thought it would be a cold day in hell when I used expelliarmus over a good old fashioned hex, but it would be hard enough to explain to the ministry on Monday why I'd used _that_ spell. I cursed under my breath. I really should hex this fucking idiot, where did he get off making my life more difficult.

"What's going on?" Potter shouted, his wand drawn as he took in the sight of the both of us, not sure who he should be defending. Granger raced in after him, her wand out as well.

"I'll tell you what's going on, this bloody idiot's got the dark mark!" He nearly screamed. He was completely hysterical.

"He's been defected for six years, that's why they put him on the case Ronald." Granger rolled her eyes, lowering her wand. I raised an eyebrow at her display of trust in me. Potter was more hesitant. "That's quite enough, lower your wands." She added effortlessly. I slowly took down my wand.

"Are you mad?" Weasley barked. "I mean really, are you bloody stupid?" It looked as though his eyes might bulge out of his head. "Doesn't this bloke _live_ with you? He's a death eater!" He spat at Granger. Her lip was trembling and I suddenly had the urge to punch Weasley in the gut for demeaning her intelligence. She might be annoying, but she _was_ the brightest witch he'd ever know.

"Now's probably not the best time to be questioning Hermione mate, I'm sure she knows exactly what she's doing." Potter offered. "Kingsley appointed Evans himself." He assured him.

"You're really on his side? Harry, he's a bloody death eater, she's lucky he hasn't killed her already!" He yelled.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Hermione hissed. My eyes shot toward her, I'd seen her angry before, but never like this. I momentarily wondered if she'd save me the trouble of cursing him.

"It means that you're letting a death eater live with you and you're trying to protect _me_." He shot, taking a step towards her. I resisted the urge to step between them, Potter however did not.

"Guys stop this." Harry pleaded.

"Evans is clean, Ronald. Kingsley chose him. He's been assisting the raids for years. He's not a death eater anymore, he barely was one!" She shouted. There was an odd warmth in my chest, upon hearing her defend me. Harry interjected once more.

"Hermione, I'll set up the additional aurors for both Ron and I, and I'll send one out your way just for good measure, alright?" He begged. This time she met his eyes.

"You know what, fine, I'm not too proud to admit that I could use a hand." She said. I wasn't sure why, but those words seemed to hit Weasley like a ton of bricks.

"I was _not_ too proud Hermione! How dare you even think that! If you hadn't run away to healing school to try and fix everything all by yourself the way you always do then maybe we would have been okay!" He shouted. Before Weasley had opportunity to further insult her Harry was dragging him from the room, throwing Granger an apologetic look.

"At least I cared enough to try." She whispered, almost to herself. My instinct told me to run from the scene so I wouldn't have to confront what had just apparently unraveled, but I was rooted to the spot, averting my eyes as I saw Granger struggle with tears. Without much warning she began a brisk pace out the door and through the property, toward the apparation point. I followed her, but not too closely, her personal space was not something I wanted to be in ever, but especially not now.

I was having a hard time digesting what just happened in front of me. I felt an odd mixture of guilt, anger and disgust as she came to a stop, her entire body quivering. She brought her hands up to her face slowly, but almost immediately corrected herself, throwing her arm out.

"Come on, what are you waiting for, grab on so we can get out of here." She attempted to keep her voice even, but she was choking over sobs. I slowly walked up to her and reached out, gingerly placing her hand back at her side. She was in no condition to apparate anywhere. I shuddered at the skin to skin contact. I felt a wrenching in my gut, and heaviness in my heart, something close to empathy for the girl I'd once made miserable.

"Don't be ridiculous Granger, you _will_ splinch us if you attempt apparition in this condition." I tried to keep my voice light and playful, but it came out with too much of an edge. Her sobbing grew louder. I shifted uncomfortably, my mind racing for a solution to stop this incessant display of her emotions.

"Grab my arm; we'll go get something to eat." I tried, sounding as calm and soft as I could. "We'll go somewhere muggle and calm down." I tried, giving my best go at soothing her.

My stomach churned uneasily, I certainly didn't like seeing her upset. I stopped and thought about that. It wasn't true; I did like to see her upset. She got this whole determined look about her whenever I argued with her. It made her think faster and more outside the box. Generally speaking an upset Granger was an entertaining and hard-working Granger. This was more than upset though; this was disheveled, and broken. I'd rarely seen another person so hurt.

Truthfully I'd never been around too many crying women. I was taught from a young age that to show emotion was to show vulnerability. Looking at Granger, standing here, quite obviously broken was different though. She wasn't just vulnerable, she was relatable and human, she was just a person. When she reached out for me, I was shocked and I didn't conceal it well. She wrapped her arms around my waist, and buried her face in my chest, her body still quivering uncontrollably. My breath hitched, I couldn't remember the last time I'd allowed a person to be so close to me. I fought my instinct to rip her away from me, realizing that would only cause her further pain. Apprehensively, I gently gripped both her shoulders and apparated us from the scene, trying not to think about the odd sensation of her warm cheek against my chest.

**This chapter was really hard to write, but it picks up speed just a little yay! And four chapters in four days, you have to admit that is nice pace right there. Hopefully you like it. Sorry about the minor cliffy. Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews, I always appreciate more, they make me write even faster! Thanks for reading! :)**

**-Onalee**


	5. Confessions

**Disclaimer: I obviously do not own Harry Potter, nor his wizarding world, thats JKRowling's job. **

I felt weird. There was no other way to describe my mood. After I'd allowed Dominick to take me to a muggle diner, and let him attempt to console me I'd felt awkward. When I tried to apologize for my completely irrational tears he cut me off and told me that there was no explanation or apology necessary; that he'd rather just move on. His maturity was astounding. Now we were sitting back in my study, silently going over cases and lists on our separate parchments, but my head wasn't in it.

I was thinking about the new side of Dominick that I'd seen today. I had so many questions for him, but I knew he wouldn't answer them. I knew he'd just hang me out to dry. I should have been thankful that he wasn't mocking me for my outburst, but instead I was fueled by intrigue. He had displayed such integrity at our meeting that it became apparent he had been holding a personal grudge against me, whereas I thought he'd held a grudge against my side of the war. Then again, the way he treated me while I was crying made me think that maybe he really didn't despise me as much as he wanted me to believe.

"Granger if you don't answer me I'll be forced to look into your mind." His silky voice interrupted my thoughts.

"What was that?" I asked, snapping out of it. He rolled his eyes, but as I watched him I wondered if he was truly annoyed with my presence or not.

"I have to go to the ministry tomorrow. Typical post-death eater check-up." He said, a shadow of a smile on his lips from his own joke, I chuckled. "I was inquiring about your plans." He said.

"Um, why?" I asked, confused. I was just beginning to think he didn't hate me as much as I thought he did, but I wasn't expecting him to be friendly.

"Well considering that you think I need a babysitter wherever I go, I thought this might be useful information to you. And I'd like to know if you'll be babysitting me or not, I'd like to prepare myself for _that_ level of torture over a night's sleep if you don't mind." He sneered. I let out a laugh, same old Dominick.

"I'm sure you can handle running to the ministry and back." I said, holding back another laugh.

"And what may I ask is so funny?" He asked seriously, getting agitated.

"Nothing, nothing." I replied quickly. He shook his head, a faint smile on his face.

"People are going to begin to wonder if you're mentally unstable if you keep up this nonsense Granger. First you're sobbing and then laughing at nothing, honestly what a nutter." He threw me a half smile to show me he was teasing me. I continued to think about his demeanor, wondering if I'd ever really know who he was.

"Staring is rude, Granger." He said loudly, his eyes still down on his parchments.

"I wasn't staring at you." He defended quickly. "I was just, thinking." I snapped.

"Clearly not about the case." He muttered. "Why don't you just ask me?" He sighed, turning to stare at me intently. I blushed, confused by his confrontation.

"What?"

"You heard me." He said, annoyed. "You're clearly over there wondering something, why don't you just ask me so maybe you'll get some work done tonight." He replied casually. I thought for a moment, he was giving me a free pass to ask him a question. I thumbed through all the questions I'd been saving in my mind, trying to find the most revealing one.

"Were your parents death eaters? Is that why you joined?" I asked quickly. I wasn't sure why I'd chosen that particular question, it was open-ended enough for me to keep asking. I had been wondering just exactly what had "forced" him to join the death eaters, as I'd mentioned there was something irrevocably good in him. He returned focus to his parchments, acting uninterested.

"My family was involved with the death eaters, yes." He said, his tone guarded. I couldn't believe he had answered me.

"But not your mother?" I tried to make my voice as casual as possible.

"My mother never took the mark, no. But she was just as guilty as I was." He said with a certain disdain.

"What happened to your father?" I asked, knowing I was reaching uncharted territory. I half expected him to destroy my study in a fit of rage, considering my audacity.

"My Father got what he deserved." He replied coolly. I nodded, deciding that I'd push my luck just a little bit farther and change the subject.

"Why did you take the mark?" I whispered, cringing, ready for his anger. Silence hung in the air between us for what may have been the longest few seconds of my life.

"He told me that unless I took the mark and followed his instructions precisely, my mother and I would be brutally murdered." He spoke through gritted teeth. "I didn't have an option." He stated firmly. His patience was running low, it was written all over his face.

"So you had to kill people." I whispered, wondering if he'd killed people that I'd known and loved.

"I've never killed." He replied, an edge to his voice. "I've been forced to torture, but I never killed." His confession surprised me, more than that it made me yet again question why he'd been given such a long probation sentence. Nearly every death eater I'd come across in my time had murdered, and wouldn't hesitate to do so again.

"Voldemort never asked you to kill?" I asked. He heavily flinched at the sound of Voldemort's name, not bothering to try and cover it up.

"Of course he asked me to." He spat, anger bubbling in his expression. "I couldn't though. I'm glad I didn't." He added quickly, getting flustered.

"I am too." I looked directly at him, sincerity in my expression. He snatched up his belongings and headed to his bedroom, slamming the door unnecessarily. He was angry, but I didn't regret asking him the questions. Dominick wasn't a lost cause as I'd first thought. He just made a mistake and was paying the price for it every day. I almost was developing sympathy for him.

I stayed up a while longer, but instead of fiddling with notes, I thought instead of the day's events. I was impressed that I'd recovered so quickly from seeing Ron. I was so distracted by the peculiarity in Dominick's behavior that I had nearly forgotten how rude Ron had been to me. I was hurt of course and even Dominick understood that. I wondered sometimes how Ron could possibly be so thick. We were inseparable for so long, I would have thought he'd think of me as at the very least clever. For him to insinuate that I was just allowing some death eater to stay with me was downright insulting.

Ron's behavior was nearly always hurtful though. What was more intriguing to me was the fact that Dominick really did have a good heart. This afternoon I felt changed our relationship and this evening changed how I felt about him as a person. I now saw through his act of hatred towards me. No matter how much he insulted me, he wouldn't ever take it as far as Ron had, that much I knew. He allowed physical contact between us, and what was more, he attempted to comfort me. As much as the day embarrassed me beyond belief, it could have been much worse. Dominick didn't even attempt to harass me about my emotional breakdown. He didn't coddle me either. He comforted me when I needed it, and then he simply gave me all the space in the world so he could go back to annoying me with his every breath. In a way it was kind of nice for someone to be so natural with me.

The way he'd just divulged so much of himself to me was unheard of. For him to even talk about his past as a death eater was astounding to me. Hearing that he'd never killed made me feel like he was reachable, like he really was human. His past wasn't pretty, but neither was mine. In a way, we bonded over it. He was still irritating, obnoxious and self-involved, but he certainly wasn't evil, in fact I knew that there was good in him, just waiting to be brought out by the right person.

The next day was the same more or less. We sat in the study, avoiding one another until the last second possible. He definitely wouldn't bring up yesterday's events, I knew that for sure. I focused my attention on the case.

"This is impossible." He grunted, chucking his quill across the room. I didn't say anything, just waited for an explanation.

"Where do you plan on heading in the case from here?" He questioned. "I don't think we should waste any more time on paper work, we know as much about all of this as we're ever going to." He sighed, tossing the parchment to the ground. Part of me agreed with him.

"Why are you suddenly so interested in my opinion?" I asked defensively.

"Well considering you seem to always have one, I figured I'd shoot it down as soon as possible." He replied, not a hint of a joke in his voice. I ignored the insult.

"I think we should get all the files on the defected death eaters and the ones in Azkaban." I stated firmly. "We need to rule them out. Although you seem to think that Azkaban is impenetrable, there was once a time when people escaped from it. I think we should review the stays of the death eaters in Azkaban, and if we don't see anything unusual, we'll close the case on them." I started. "Same with the defected death eaters, I'm sure you know that they have extensive background checks all the time. If we ruled all of them out at once it would make things a bit easier." I said. Dominick sat in the chair across from me, looking behind me idly.

"Fine Granger, I think it's a complete waste of time, but if it will shut you up, then by all means let's gather up those files." He sighed. I had a heavy feeling that someone in the inner circle was orchestrating this massacre, and unfortunately all of those people had been captured or killed. The next best thing of course in my opinion, was their families. I knew plenty of the defected death eaters were children of the inner circle, including people like Gregory Goyle and Draco Malfoy. If anyone was capable in following in their father's footsteps it would be those two. Besides it would become clear pretty quickly if they were doing anything fishy. The ministry kept heavy tabs on the defected death eaters, I knew that just from spending a few weeks with Dominick.

"Thank you." I replied sincerely. "And just the inner circle incarcerated death eaters, no need to be incessant." I added.

"Oh of course not." He said sarcastically, rolling his eyes before strolling into the kitchen, probably to eat something. My mind went back to the files of defected death eaters, I smirked inwardly knowing that his real name would be somewhere in those files, and I would be damned if I didn't get a pretty good idea of just exactly who he was.

* * *

><p>I paced back and forth in the hallway of the ministry, deciding my best route of action. I had half a mind to argue with Granger about her request, but I knew it would only fuel her further. If I resisted, she would only become even more suspicious of what she would learn in the files. I knew I had to give them to her, and unfortunately I knew that she would be paying most attention to my name, considering she detested me most and I was the only one of the defected death eaters in the dark lord's inner circle. More than that, I knew she was going to try to search the files for any clue that one of them would be the Dominick Evans she was living with.<p>

I balled up my hands into fists, I couldn't win. I held back the groan of frustration I wanted so badly to scream. I knew from the start that she would be difficult, but I had no idea that it would be to this extent. I thought about tampering with my file, but the risk was too heavy. If she'd thought for one moment it had been altered than she would take matters into her own hands, and she would certainly find me out. I cursed myself for revealing so much to her just a few nights before. I hadn't been careful enough. She now knew that my Father was in Azkaban, and that my mother was involved but didn't take the mark. She even knew that I'd been ordered to kill but failed miserably. I was surprised she hadn't connected the dots yet. There were only 32 defected death eaters, and only 18 still on probation, one look at these files and she'd have me figured out in an instant. I was foolish for divulging so much, no matter how uplifting it felt.

The confession would have been easily avoided. I could have simply headed to my room and ignored her obvious staring. Instead I felt this pull to her, maybe it was pity from watching her cry all day. Subconsciously I must have been trying to level out the playing field by giving her a look into my private life. I gave her too much though, and if I was being honest with myself, it felt good to get it off my chest. I'd never spoken with anyone about my days as a death eater, and Granger had been so oddly accepting. Maybe she wasn't as stubborn as I thought.

I'd have to lie to her about being able to retrieve the files, and then distract her with something else. It was my only hope of continuing to disguise myself.

"Fucking nosey bookworm." I muttered in a whisper, heading down the hall.

"Talking to yourself mate?" I spun around when I heard the friendly laughter of Potter. I did my best to return a smile. I grimaced inwardly, I'd hated Potter since my first day at Hogwarts, but lately he made it difficult to do just that. He was too friendly and smiled way too often. That wasn't surprising when I thought about it, considering that his angsty childhood had a lot to do with the guy I'd been working for.

"Potter." I nodded at him, trying to walk away politely.

"Is Hermione with you?" He asked. "I wanted to see how she was after all that the other day." He said sheepishly.

"She's able to receive owls you know." I tried my best to keep my tone light.

"You alright there Evans?" He asked, sensing my anger.

"Fine. Just a little irritated. Running errands for Granger isn't exactly in my job description and yet, here I am." I amended. Staying friendly with Harry Potter was ridiculously difficult. I'd been raised to hate him very specifically, and on top of that he'd taken every chance to annoy me that he'd gotten over the years. I fought the urge to roll my eyes as I thought about it. To my surprise he let out a laugh and I stiffened as he smacked me on the back in a friendly gesture.

"That's Hermione for you." He grinned. Desperate to change the subject from the woman who was now irritating me even when she wasn't physically around, I spoke.

"What are you doing here, aren't you refusing to leave your wife's side?" I asked rather harshly. I wasn't accustomed to talking to anyone, let alone my childhood enemies.

"Yeah I better be off, I was just dropping in for a short meeting with Kingsley." He smiled, and then extended his hand. "See you around Evans." I shook his hand firmly, nodding. It took every resistant muscle in my body not to wipe my hand on my robe. Granger was taking more of an effect on me than I'd like to admit.

"Never thought I'd see the day you shook hands with Harry Potter." I spun around to the sound of my mother's voice. Seeing her in person was shocking. I hadn't realized how much I missed her company. I made to step towards her, but thought better of it, standing my ground. She smiled in understanding.

"Just here to get my wand checked." She sighed, answering my unspoken question. We stood in silence for a moment. I was happy just to be in the same vicinity as her.

"How are you?" I asked tentatively.

"I'm well. A little lonely, but I'm hoping to vacation soon. Just waiting on some family." She winked. My heart ached, although she was teasing me, I was holding up her life too.

"How are you?" She asked back, a little too much enthusiasm in her voice.

"Adjusting." I replied. "Everything's well." I added. She nodded and reached out, squeezing my hand lightly.

"I'll be seeing you for the holiday?" She asked.

"Of course." I replied without thinking. She walked away briskly after that, oblivious to the whispers around her, holding her head high.

If she could walk with dignity, I should be able to as well, after all we're Malfoys. I made my way to floo back to Granger's before running into another familiar face when I wondered how she would be spending the Holiday. I doubted she would go back to the Burrow after that incident, but she continuously had my on my toes. I suddenly wondered why she'd never mentioned her parents, after all she might be spending the holiday with them. I stopped my train of thought and shook my head, disgusted with myself. I had really gone nutty, if I was interested in how _Granger_ would be spending Christmas.

Moments later I arrived at the flat, ready to verbally battle her for the files. I walked into the entrance of the study. She was there of course, lying leisurely on the sofa, with parchments scattered about her. I was interested to see that she wasn't slaving over her precious case, but rather reading a book. I craned my next a bit to see if I could get the title, but it was a no-go. I almost hated to disturb her, she looked so…happy. She never looked so serene when she was working, and I would know that all she ever did was work.

"_Expelliarmus!" _Without any warning she'd twisted her body around and shot the spell at me, effectively landing my wand across the room. If I hadn't been confused and utterly irritated at her audacity I would have been slightly impressed.

"Oh God, Dominick." She gasped in relief, her hand over her heart. "I'm so sorry." She said, standing up to retrieve my wand. "You should have said something, I didn't know it was you?" He half laughed, handing me back my wand.

"Were you expecting another death eater?" I smirked, teasing her. Since when did I so playfully tease Hermione Granger?

"No, but I also wasn't expecting you to stand behind me in a creepy manner upon your arrival either." She laughed. I smiled in spite of myself.

"I didn't get the files." The words almost jumped out of my mouth.

"Why not?" She asked defiantly.

"You'll know who I am." I blurted. I cursed myself for not thinking of anything better. "You'd have to be completely thick to not figure it out after reading them and that's not a confrontation I want to have right now." I said firmly, wondering why I hadn't tried to smooth talk my way out of this as I'd planned. "Let's just focus on the inner circle in Azkaban for now." I tried. I would stop her from getting those files one way or another. If she disagreed with me I would just have to take another route, but my gut had told me this just might work.

"Then tell me you've at the very least retrieved _those_ files." She huffed, irritated. I quickly summoned the parchment and she took it out of my hands just as quickly.

"We'll have to interview them you know." She stated over her shoulder as she sauntered to the sofa. I wasn't paying attention though; I couldn't believe she'd just respected my wishes like that. It was almost like she trusted me. I didn't know why, but somehow it pleasured me greatly to know that an intelligent, emotionally guarded Granger actually trusted me.

**Thank you for the lovely reviews I've been receiving, I appreciate it very, very, very much! I had a really hard time with this chapter, so I'm sorry if it kinda sucks, but I'm almost done with the next chapter, which I think takes things to the next level. This one was kind of filler. Please review and I'll get the next one up faster! Thanks as always.**

**-Onalee**


	6. Denial

**Disclaimer: I obviously don't own Harry Potter, nor his Wizarding world, that's JKRowlings job. **

"Absolutely not!" He hissed. "By no extent of your imagination will you be in such vile company." He continued, radiating his irritation.

"Dominick, it makes sense. I am not backing down from this. I'm not asking to go see Bellatrix Lestrange—" I started but he cut me off.

"You would be if she wasn't dead!" He shouted. "Your reasons aren't strong enough! What could we possibly learn from him?" He growled.

"We could learn who was next in line after Voldemort." I said calmly, expecting his rage.

"Next in line?" He asked incredulously. "Granger, there is a reason that he had seven horcruxes, it was so there would be no need for a 'next in line'!" He shouted. "He intended to live forever."

"But there had to be someone who was willing to take the position!" I argued.

"Of course there was! Fortunately anyone who was willing and had any wit about them was sent straight to Azkaban!" He seethed, stomping into the kitchen.

"It's the best lead we have!" I screamed after him, following him into the kitchen.

"Get out of my face Granger." He threatened, throwing open my cupboards.

"What are you looking for?" I said exasperated.

"You've got no bloody food!" He answered with the same defeat in his voice. He slumped into a chair, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Look, I know this is frustrating, but I know for a fact that this isn't a lead." He sighed.

"Well what am I supposed to do?" I nearly screamed, my voice raising several octaves.

"You could start by stopping that shrieking." He snapped. I shot him a glare.

"I'm serious." I huffed. "I'm so tired of going over this, there's nothing there. There's no one to follow, there's nothing to go on!" I yelled, knowing I was becoming hysterical as I threw my arms up. "I look over this case day and night but I'm either entirely daft or there really is nothing to go on!" I yelled, pacing my tiny kitchen. "I don't even know what I should be looking for. Going on a hunt for a random dark wizard is madness, but yet, here I am, doing such a thing!" My mind was racing as the failure seeped through my skin. "I'm supposed to be able to do this and you have _no_ idea how much it frustrates me that I can't!" I winced at the sound of my own shrill voice.

"You are _not_ daft." I turned to look at him; his head was in his hands. He looked exhausted.

"Excuse me?" I asked. He propped his elbows up on the table and rubbed his eyes for a moment before he spoke.

"You asked if you were daft, and you're not." He answered smoothly. "You are annoying, thorough, and insistently irritating, however being daft is not one of your many qualities." He answered. I didn't know whether to blush or be insulted. I dropped into the chair across from him in defeat.

"What do we do now?" I asked, on the verge of tears.

"We need to get out of this flat." He responded dryly. "Like when artists step away from their work to see what it's missing." He contemplated absentmindedly. I cocked my head in thought. "We need to step back from this little world we've cooped up in." He sighed, running his fingers through his hair.

"What do you suggest?" I drawled.

"A walk?" He asked. This might have been the first time he asked me to do something with him. My stomach twisted unconsciously at the thought although I couldn't pinpoint why.

A few minutes later I walked next to Dominick down the streets of muggle London, feeling much different than I had a few weeks prior. We still walked with the same small but careful distance between us, only this time it was less tense. I felt the snow crunch beneath my shoes and I was reminded of the many afternoons I would spend in Hogsmeade with Harry and Ron as a teenager. I frowned slightly; I never thought I would miss those days.

I looked out on muggle London with awe. The showy display of lights never failed to amaze me. I peeked up through my lashes, scrutinizing Dominick's expression. I knew he'd been around muggles a lot, but I wondered if this display amazed, perplexed or annoyed him. He looked much more at peace than he had back at my flat. This case was truly taking a toll on the both of us. We weren't sleeping, we barely ate and between not sleeping and not eating, all we did was argue about the best course of action. Although it pained me to admit it, he was as intelligent as I was. So if we couldn't come to an agreement on anything then there wasn't really enough to have anything to go on at all. I sighed audibly, shaking the thought from my mind, I was stressed enough as it was.

"Enough Granger, you'll make yourself sick over it." He frowned; his breath made visible in the cold evening air.

"I'm just concerned." I said, trying not to get emotional, after all he'd seen enough of that. I shoved my hands in my pockets, attempting to clear my mind.

"Well, I'm sure they'll attack again, so if nothing comes up we can just wait for that." He let out a laugh, and I forced a small smile. I was concerned about them attacking too. We walked on in silence, the sound of bustling holiday shoppers around us as snow fell tenderly from the sky.

"I know for a fact you haven't bought anything for Christmas." He began slowly. "Unless of course you need even less sleep than you manage to get and you're running around shopping from 2 to 7 in the morning." This time I laughed without trying.

"You're right." I smiled. Truthfully, I didn't have many people to buy for. I knew I'd need to get something for Harry and Ginny, possibly their new baby. I'd have to pick up a little something for the rest of the Weasleys too. Then of course there was the curious case of my own parents. I nearly always struggled with what to get them.

After the war, when I'd found them, they had a really difficult time remembering me, as I expected they would. However the problem persisted and I found it easier to be on the outskirts of their life, knowing they were happy and well, rather than confusing them with my presence. It was a huge blow to my morale, losing my parents in such an odd way, but knowing they were still there gave me a sense of comfort. I'd come to terms with the small presence they had in my life, and I cherished it.

"Then shop." He shrugged. "We can go to Diagon Alley if you prefer." He added seeming completely indifferent to the idea.

"With you?" I asked. We'd just spent hours arguing, and here he was trying to get me to shop with him?

"I always found that shopping put my Mother in a better mood." He shrugged. "It's not exactly pleasant to live with you when you're so entirely infuriated at literally everything." He said seriously. I blushed, feeling bad for my outburst.

"I get it." He added with a little bit too much haste. "I'm frustrated too. Perhaps you should shop a bit, get your spirits up, so I won't have to stun you to get some shut eye." He smirked. I laughed at the thought of him trying to stun me. "I'll just babysit, so no big bad death eaters hex you. And hell if they do maybe we'll get a lead." He nearly chuckled.

"Really? You'd shop with me?" I asked timidly, considering his offer.

"Well I can't have you off shopping alone can I? I could get abducted." He laughed. A grin broke out on my face hearing his laughter. His stormy eyes were shining brightly and I felt like I could get lost in them. Quickly I snapped out of it and took off down the next street, ducking into the first shop that looked remotely interesting.

"I didn't know that I'd be carrying all the bags at the end of the night Granger." Evans said with disdain, although he was smiling.

"You're the one who offered." I grinned, trudging through the snow back to my flat after hours spent in both the muggle and magical shopping communities. He followed me with no trouble at all, looking content by every extension of the mind as he took in the décor of the holidays. I'd managed to get every person off my list too. I wondered though if I should get Dominick anything. I decided against it eventually, and was surprised when I found him carrying a small package of his own after I exited yet another shop. His only response was that he couldn't leave his mother empty handed for Christmas. He continuously surprised me.

"Well now, how would that look if I stood next to Hermione-the-golden-girl-Granger, walking effortlessly down the street while she struggled to hold all of her bags?" He smirked.

"Oh please, half the time we were with muggles, so don't throw the 'golden girl' nonsense at me!" I laughed, shoving him lightly on the arm. He stumbled simply from surprise and laughed.

"Then how would it look if I let a rather annoying, yet stunning woman carry all her own packages? You'd be sure to be abducted by the next gentleman that walked by, and if I'm anything, I'm a gentleman… well right after defected death eater that is." He grinned, but my heart had gone mad the moment he called me _stunning._ I wondered if he even realized he'd said it. I hadn't been paid that kind of compliment in such a long time. I thought I would have punched him for teasing me like that, but he sounded so sincere and I loved the way the words felt coming from him.

"Shut up." I giggled like a twelve year old girl, shoving him again. I nearly gagged at the feminine sound I'd let out. Dominick had been right, as annoyed as I was with this case, the shopping really did put me in a much better mood. Usually I was so depressed around the holidays, but this year they'd come up so quickly I barely had time to admire the lights.

"Granger, if you keep shoving me I'll have to retaliate." He threatened; his smile reaching his eyes. Looking right at him, a playful smile on my lips, I shoved him once more.

"That's it." He dropped my packages where he stood, and reached for me, but I dodged him, spinning around and running down the sidewalk. I figured he wouldn't leave my things there so I slowed to turn around when he threw a heap of powdery snow right in my face. He doubled over with laughter.

"That's a good look for you Granger!" He spluttered.

"You should know I don't go down without a fight!" I yelled, scooping up snow to throw back at him. We ran around after each other for what felt like hours, throwing poorly formed snowballs at one another, acting like children. We were a good match for one another, he was faster than me, but I was more nimble with my movements, it was just another way he challenged me. Somehow I felt that he needed this kind of fun just as much as I did. The way his laughter echoed around in the cold December air was proof of that. I wasn't sure how we ended up back at my flat, all the packages in tow, but we had fun. It had been so long since I'd had fun. I would owe Dominick for a very long time.

"Thank you." I laughed when we stepped inside, our faces red from the cold. He smiled.

"Thank _you._" He grinned down at me, brushing a bit of my bushy hair behind my ear. My skin burned with delight where his fingertips had grazed. His eyes were staring so intently down at mine. I felt my stomach twist into knots as I got up on my tip toes and put my hand to his cold cheek. I hadn't felt this way in years. I hadn't been this passionate about a person in so long. I didn't even know who he was, but at the same time I did know. He was good.

For exactly one moment it didn't matter who he was. I didn't care. He brought the best out of me. He brought happiness into my heart. He challenged me on every level and cared how I felt. He didn't coddle me or treat me any different because I was proclaimed 'the brightest witch of our age.' He made me prove myself to him over and over while he did the same for me. He kept me on my toes. He was everything I'd been missing these past few years. For exactly one moment my heart almost felt whole.

"I've got to take my potion." His voice was hard and cold as he ripped away from my touch, passing through the flat with impressive speed until he was locked behind his bedroom door, and I was alone again. I felt the color drain from my face and then from my whole world.

.

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><p>.<p>

I sat behind the closed door and shuddered, not just from the cold. I was losing it. I'd spent all night _flirting_ with Granger. Bookworm, incessant, obnoxious, bossy, Gryffindor Hermione bloody Granger. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. I couldn't get away from her. Her scent was all over me, not that it wasn't good. I stopped myself before I could think any further; I was in need of a shag. It'd been over a year since I'd wasted my time and energy on useless forgettable witches; that was why I was feeling so…sentimental about her.

"Shit." I whispered to myself. I'd grown accustomed to her company. I shook my head profusely, like I was trying to be rid of her by repeating the ludicrous action. Not only was I becoming almost…attached to Granger, but it was becoming more and more difficult to conceal my identity from her. I was almost certain that the only reason she hadn't put the pieces together yet was because she saw 'Dominick' as a redeemable person, a quality she would never associate with Draco Malfoy. The only reason she wasn't connecting the dots was because in her mind there were no feasible dots to connect. Although I was thankful for her continuous lapse of reason in my judge of character, it wouldn't hold up much longer, not if I kept acting like this.

I felt my skin begin to bubble with transformation, and for a brief moment I considered just walking into the living room. I shook the thought from my mind, wondering if she might actually kill me. I would have to tell her before she found out, or the consequences would be dire. She'd kill me, hex me or arrest me on the spot, and nobody would be there for vouch for me. My heart sank at the thought, but I brought myself out of it quickly and groaned in defeat. My mood changes were connected to her. It was painful to admit; in fact it nearly made me ill. No matter how trivial, Hermione controlled a tiny part of me, which was why I'd been speaking and acting so impulsively.

I actually _liked_ her. Of course that didn't make her any less annoying. She was still obnoxious and stubborn. She was irritating and sometimes her judgment was completely off. She was an emotional wreck, and she was bloody _irritating_. I was getting a headache from the thought of enjoying her company, how could I possibly enjoy her? Somehow though, I did. I didn't remember being utterly annoyed by her existence when she was throwing snow in my face just a few minutes ago. I thought back on the experience, knowing that I should have been infuriated with her childish antics, but I just wasn't.

I had to get out of this flat. She was clouding my judgment. Not to mention the way she touched my cheek, and looked at me with such adoration, almost as though she believed for a moment that I was good for her. I gagged on my recollection; trouble was I wasn't even bothered by the way she'd touched me, although I should have been. I was more concerned with my involuntary reaction. I'd wanted to lean into her touch. Being with Granger felt like being at home. It was disturbing thinking of her in that way. I was supposed to hate her. Unfortunately for me, I didn't. It was far too dangerous to develop any level of friendship with her. It was delusional to even pretend for one moment that once she found out who I was things wouldn't change. She would despise me for being who I was. I was deceiving her every minute I let her think that I cared about her. A month ago I wouldn't have cared that I was tricking her, in fact I would have considered it a perk to my job, but now it seemed so wrong. I recalled the day at the burrow when she broke down and my muscles tightened, I didn't want to be the cause of something like that.

None the less I couldn't get out of telling her. She was going to have to find out, and it was going to have to be from me. I shuddered and decided to put that particular obligation at the bottom of my mental 'to-do' list. I stood up and looked in the mirror, potion in hand. Moments ago, I'd felt happy, moments ago I was 'Dominick', the reformed death eater that was good. I was the guy who liked to run off in the snow and laugh like a child. Just moments ago I was a person who almost believed that I deserved to be with someone like Hermione Granger. I observed the man that was my reflection. I was Draco Malfoy and I was plain nutty to think that Granger would want anything to do with any part of me. She would never even give me a chance to explain myself, she hated me far too much for that and I couldn't blame her. Her companionship had become imperative to my well being. My emotions now clung to her. I never thought I would allow myself to be so foolish. I sighed looking in the mirror and drank the potion in one thick gulp. I wouldn't be so reckless anymore; I'd have to put more space between us. I'd remember just how annoying she was, so when I finally told her, it wouldn't feel like such a massive loss.

The next week was tense. I avoided her at all costs, which was difficult considering our living situation. I tried not to speak to her at all, having Daisy relay messages to her. It was a juvenile tactic, but it was necessary. The less I had to hear her voice, the better. I spent most of the time in my bedroom, absorbed in my work. Unfortunately, I might as well have been twiddling my thumbs considering that there was absolutely no work left to do on the case. As much as I still thought that Granger's ideas on the convicted death eaters were a complete waste of time, I knew we may have to resort to just that, if nothing else than to look like we were doing something productive.

The little interaction we had was forced and brief, mostly on my account. I was used to being the bad guy, I'd done it all my life. It wasn't hard for me to be cold and emotionless, however I didn't enjoy it at all. I'd observed her too much, it had almost become a habit. I found myself staring while she read, noticing the slow rise and fall of her chest from her breathing. By the time I noticed I was watching her, I'd already been enthralled in her interesting quirks. I would leave the room abruptly, tearing myself away from her, not having to look back to know she was pained and confused by my sudden departure. My heart panged when she invited me to Christmas at the Burrow with her. Although the idea of spending my holiday with Weasley and Potter was repulsive, when I declined so dismissively, her expression noticeably fell. She might care for this Dominick character I was playing, but she would have no such sympathy for Draco Malfoy. I continued to ignore her with exactly these thoughts in mind.

Less than two weeks later, I'd managed to get out of the flat without uttering more than a "Happy Christmas" to her half-heartedly before flooing to Malfoy Manor. As miserable as I'd become in the last weeks, I was almost in decent spirits upon seeing my Mother. It had been a long time since I'd had the ability to let down the guard I'd spent ages perfecting. Having conversation with her was easy, and that was something I needed right now.

"Draco." I looked to her, smiling warmly at me. Before I had the chance to brush the soot off my shoulders she had me locked in a warm embrace. Sometimes it still felt odd, hugging my Mother. Throughout my childhood, unnecessary displays of affection were not prohibited. My parents hugged me only a few times a year and most of those hugs took place on platform 9 ¾. I returned the gesture before gently pulling away from her, scrutinizing her face. She didn't seem anymore traumatized than when I'd left her just a few months ago. I was thankful for that.

It took a while after the war to develop a relationship with her. At first things were awkward and forced. We lived in the manor in silence until my father was sentenced to Azkaban. Shortly afterwards we began engaging in light conversation, like we didn't even know each other. After a year or so, it felt like we were friends. My Mother was possibly my only real friend in the world. I knew people from work of course but usually under an alias, so no one could really relate to anything I was going through. I cared very deeply about my mother, knowing that we had both suffered under the reign of the Dark Lord, not to mention Lucius.

"Mother." I greeted her with a small smile before taking off my cloak and having a seat.

"You don't look well." She commented, her voice laced with concern that she was attempting to conceal. I made myself comfortable on the sofa, and she took a seat across from me. I didn't bother masking my mood, if I had to hide one more thing from someone I would surely combust.

"I'm just fine thanks." I responded dryly. She seemed to let it go for a minute or two, changing the subject.

"How's work?"

"Awful." I groaned without thinking. "Granger's a fucking handful." I rolled my eyes. My Mother didn't seem to be phased.

"Do you have to look like that all day?" She asked sharply, taking a sip of whatever the house elf had brought her.

"Unfortunately." I answered. "Granger charmed my wand in case we were to need one another, so I can't go taking chances. I don't think she'd be too pleased if I showed up as Draco Malfoy." I grimaced.

"You might be surprised. I've found that many functioning members of society have gotten over their prejudices of us, just as we have of them." She noted.

"If she were just a normal member of society, then maybe." I started. "However, she's not only a muggle born, but she's a member of the Order of the Phoenix, one third of the golden trio, and someone I spent my entire childhood relentlessly harassing. I hardly believe she'd be alright with that." I scoffed, not wanting to get into the subject of Granger so early in the day, or at all for that matter.

"I take it that it isn't just the case that's troubling you." She commented. "Living with Miss Granger seems to be taking its toll."

"Of course it is." I sighed. "We don't agree on _anything_." I started. "I mean she actually wants to _visit_ some of the inner circle in Azkaban."

"You can't." Her voice was almost shrill as I took in the petrified expression on her face. If it was possible she looked even paler.

"Obviously." I assured her, although at this point I wasn't exactly sure if I could avoid it.

"There would be nothing to gain." She seethed. "You know everything there is to know." She continued. I felt ashamed for worrying her.

"Mother I know, I'm only demonstrating how ridiculous some of Grangers requests are." I assured her.

"You seemed happier the last time I saw you." She pondered, effectively changing the subject. "Possibly happier than I've seen you since the war." She added, probing me for information. I decided to play it off as nothing, after all it was nothing.

"I have to keep up appearances you know." I tried.

"I could see it in your eyes Draco." She smiled, not budging. "Was there a woman you were seeing?" She asked. I felt myself tense upon her question. She was too intuitive for her own good.

"As though I would have time." I tried to keep my voice even.

"I don't doubt that, seeing as your visits with me have fallen to the wayside." She said casually, effectively instilling me with guilt.

"I have to be careful, Granger is nosey." I shrugged, but my heartbeat had picked up.

"If she's so nosey, why is it that she doesn't have you figured out? I mean honestly Draco, I can only imagine from the way you talk _about_ her that you're less than a perfect gentleman to her face. Beyond that, it wouldn't be difficult to figure you out if someone was determined enough. I think her track record stands for itself, she's as determined as they come." I stifled a groan, I didn't want to have to explain all this. I just wanted a stress-free holiday.

"Mother, as much as I love chatting with you, I get enough of Granger on a daily basis, I'd rather we talk about anything else really." I sighed. She appraised my words for a moment, raising an eyebrow.

"You're fond of her then." She stated. My heart hammered against my chest, my face flushing with anger. It was the opposite reaction I wanted to portray, I wanted to seem indifferent. Damn Hermione sodding Granger for stirring up my emotions even in her absence. I thought about how to respond. There was no point lying to my Mother, but that meant I would have to stop lying to myself.

"We won't even be friends after she finds out. I don't need to lose anything else in my life. It's better this way." I said serenely, but I gave her a stern look. She nodded curtly.

"I'll drop it then if it pleases you. However I think you should know that Hermione is not blind, as she would have to be not to notice that you're not the same boy you were six years ago. Maybe she has gotten to know a brand new person, but it doesn't make that person anything less than who you are Draco." She stood up abruptly, letting her words sink into my brain. I almost considered the fact that Granger was getting to know the new me in a different shell. I shook my head, it was too far-fetched. Getting my hopes up was entirely foolish.

For the remainder of the morning my Mother kept her word, and refrained from mentioning my work. We spent most of the time talking about her, and what she planned to do with the freedom this case would bring us. I nodded along, enjoying her company, but something felt quite off about the situation. It didn't take long to realize I was missing the argumentative nature of my coworker at my side. I tried to fight the feeling off, but for the sake of relaxation by the afternoon I embraced it.

We were in the middle of a chat about the new petunias my Mother had actually planted herself in the garden when I felt the unfamiliar sensation of my wand growing red-hot in my pocket. For a moment I was confused. I yanked it from my trousers immediately, realizing that this was Granger's emergency signal, she needed me. I felt a swell of pride in my chest that Granger wanted me with her, but it was soon swallowed by the fear that something had gone wrong.

"Mother, I have to go, its work, there's been an emergency." I rushed out my words and she simply nodded, hugging me tightly before I sprinted outside, desperate to get the apparition point.

When I reached it I stood my ground and closed my eyes, feeling the familiar sensation in my chest and stomach. Upon landing I could hear the screaming of kids and the shattering noises of battle in the distance. I wasted no time sprinting towards the burrow, anger coursing through me. I didn't care that I only had one motivation. I didn't want to fight my thoughts. The case was the last thing on my mind as I prepared to fight. If anyone had so much as _touched_ Granger, I would murder them myself.

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><p><strong>Gah, I hope you like this chapter. Sorry about the cliffy at the end. I had a lot of fun writing this one. Please read and review, it'll make me update faster :) Sorry for any mistakes, I probably didn't edit as much as I could have, I was really anxious to get it out here and hear what you all thought! Thanks :) <strong>

**-Onalee**


	7. The Attack

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter nor his wizarding world. That's JKRowling's job.**

"Hermione, how's work?" Arthur asked me. The majority of the Weasley family sat around the large table in the burrow's dining room, passing plates of food around.

"It's fine." I replied shortly, offering a tiny smile. I kept my eyes down; I didn't want to chance catching even a glimpse of Ron. He seemed to be in fine spirits all day, I on the other hand was still uneasy about our last encounter.

"Oh please!" Scoffed Ginny, her mouth full of food. "I saw those pictures in the daily prophet, looked like _work_ was going rather well!" She grinned, wiggling her eyebrows. My face flushed with anxiousness. I didn't receive the daily prophet anymore, and I was scared to see what she was talking about. My mind searched my memories, but I was rarely outside of the house, especially lately.

"Yeah 'Mione, you seem to be having quite a nice time." George laughed, tossing me the prophet, earning a stern look from his mother. I stared at the front page incredulously, not believing that the series of pictures were real. One of the smaller pictures was of Dominick carrying my packages for me through the snow, his grin widening as I prattled on about something or other. The way he was looking at me was almost painful to observe. He looked so happy, unlike the last few weeks.

The next picture was of us throwing snow at each other, our packages discarded on the sidewalk. He laughed and then chased me, landing a snowball square in my back. The third and largest picture was by far the most gut wrenching of the bunch. Just as I turned to throw snow at him, he caught me around the waist, flinging me gently into another heap of the stuff, nearly falling on me in the process. Our expressions said it all. It looked like we were so happy, almost as though we were in love. I held back the tears I felt rising in my eyes, he was most certainly not in love with me. Not after the way he'd acted that same night and every day following it.

"Well Hermione, he's a nice bloke." Harry started in an approving tone, "I ran into him at the ministry just a couple weeks ago, seemed pretty happy, though he's got a funny way of showing it." He chuckled. I tried to put on a faint smile, but it was useless. I was miserable.

Ever since he'd ripped away from me I'd felt stupid. It wasn't an easy thing to do, making me feel dumb. I couldn't believe that I'd thought for one second I made him happy. Honestly I didn't know what I was thinking really. I wasn't in any position to feel that way about someone. I was _still_ an emotional mess from the way things ended with Ron, and I had no interest outside my work. Maybe that was why he had become so alluring, he was part of my work.

The thought was laughable, I was intrigued by Dominick. He was a puzzle that I wanted so desperately to solve. The more I put things together, the more I liked what I saw. I had an eerie feeling that the last piece wouldn't be pretty, but I wasn't perfect either, I was far from it. He was kind and he challenged me like I'd never been challenged before. He was completely opposite of me on nearly everything, but somehow it worked. We had been on the verge of getting along when I was naive enough to touch him. I should have known that he would have shied away from me. He made it perfectly clear that he was annoyed with my existence, how could I be so foolish?

"So are you dating?" Ron spluttered, his voice even.

"No." I replied a little too quickly. "We aren't." I stole a glance at his face, it seemed like he was working rather hard to keep composure.

"Oh." He said, an awkward silence resting on the entire table.

"Well it's certainly about time the both of you stopped sulking around and pissing each other off. The silence around here just isn't natural." Ginny interjected, digging into her second helping. Her pregnancy had certainly not brought out her conservative side. Conversation picked up shortly after that, and although I was not enthralled by all the quidditch talk, I was content with the turn in topics.

"Hey." Ron approached me a little while after we'd eaten, leaning against the wall next to me in a leisurely manner.

"Hey." I replied, my heart beat not quite as frantic as it would have been months ago. His proximity was no longer as alarming.

"I just wanted to tell you that um, I'm sorry." He started. It was obviously difficult for him to get out those words. I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

"I didn't mean what I said. His mark just caught me off guard. You know I care about you 'Mione." He nearly whispered. My heart sank at the mention of his nickname for me. He hadn't called me by that name in four years. Somehow it didn't affect me like I thought it would have. I thought it would bring me to a nervous breakdown, but somehow I felt more resilient. Maybe this was what it felt like to get over someone.

"Thanks Ron." I sighed, no relief coming from his apology. I was concerned about other things at the moment, the case being one of the bigger ones. "It was never supposed to be like this." I said, tears forming in my eyes. If I was being honest with myself I didn't even know who I was talking about anymore. Dominick was clouding my thoughts and I wondered if today his mother got to see the side of him that I missed so much. I was so entirely confused, and Ron's sudden change of attitude wasn't helping.

"We've all missed you." He commented. "I want you to be happy." He said softly, gently placing a hand on my cheek. It wasn't so much a romantic gesture, but it felt off. I let out a sigh and glanced around the room at all the children playing with their new toys while the adults laughed and chatted. My eyebrows furrowed with concern, everything felt off. The hairs stood up on my arms and a chill ran down my spine. Something was very unsettling about this moment. I slowly placed my hand at the base of my wand, my eyes darting around the room.

"Is everything okay, Hermione?" Ron asked, but his words fogged out around me, I had a bad feeling. My instinct told me to get the kids out of the room immediately. My senses took over as I ducked to the left, the killing curse missed my by half an inch. Suddenly each Adult Weasley had their wand drawn, pointed in the direction the spell had come from. For just a few moments I heard the bustling of adults and screaming children headed into the fireplace.

I sent for Dominick without thinking, hoping it wasn't a foolish decision. One second ticked by before all hell broke loose. Killing curses were being shot blindly at us. Only two men in death eater masks were in my sight of vision, but I knew there had to be more with the amount of hexes being strewn across the room. I stood tall, dueling next to Ron, ducking and rolling among the curses that were aimed at us. I couldn't put my finger on it but something wasn't quite right. I suddenly worried for Ron, he would never be as agile as he was before he was injured. I fought twice as hard to keep him in my line of vision as well.

There was a crash to the room on my left, followed by a childish scream. I spun around so I was back to back with Harry, taking on the Death eater that had entered from the next room. His curses weren't clumsy, but they weren't clever either. Unfortunately they were all dueling to kill. They were fast, and with us all cornered like this, I couldn't do anything but defend myself and Ron, who I knew was just a few feet to my right. Hearing another crash behind me, it became apparent that this attack wasn't a snap decision, it was an ambush. Someone had planned this well. Another death eater came in, spewing the killing curse in every which direction. The sloppy aim of the death eaters was strange, I knew they could fight better than this; it was almost as though they were only trying to buy time. The noises of wizards shouting curses and furniture being destroyed was getting louder, but something wasn't right. I stunned the wizard across from me and took the split second I had to look around the room. Somehow our numbers had almost evened out. Harry, Ron, Arthur, Bill, Molly, George and I were the only people left in the room. I tried not to let panic ensue at the thought of losing my family but instead put that energy into my dueling.

Another death eater burst into the room, deadly green spells showering around us. The latest arriving death eater pointed his wand at Ron, and without thinking I deferred my attention from the death eater I was dueling to throw a defensive spell in Ron's direction. I could manage to duel both death eaters, but it was difficult to get to upper hand when I had to be so aware of the hundreds of green curses that would kill me upon contact. I looked away for a split second and Ron crashed to the floor in a hard thud, but before I had time to react, Arthur grabbed his body and with a crack they were both gone. Panic flooded over me for a moment and the death eater took that opportunity. They now had us matched in numbers, but we overpowered them with skill. Upon my momentary distraction at Ron's injury I felt a red curse clip my shoulder, rendering my right arm useless. My wand clattered to the floor. I ducked, rolling to avoid the next curse that was intended for me, relying solely upon my dodging skills as I searched the floor for my wand which had flown from my hand upon contact with the curse. I wouldn't last much longer without it. I threw myself backward to avoid another killing curse, sliding on what seemed to be blood all over the floor. My head hit the edge of a bookcase hard, but I tried not to let it dull my senses.

The death eater I'd been dueling cornered me, and shot curses my way that were becoming harder and harder to avoid. I was desperate for my wand, when I noticed it in his hand. Horror washed over me as I attempted to stand and sprint, but I wasn't fast enough, he very nearly had me. A figure stepped in front of me swiftly, his curses overpowering the death eater, until he was disarmed. Standing, Dominick turned around, tossing my wand at me. I caught it and dueled alongside him, when with a loud crack our opponent was gone. We both turned on instinct but within seconds, all of the five death eaters had disapparated almost as though on command.

"Are you hurt?" Dominick turned to me instantly, gripping both of my elbows, concern and anger spread across his face. I shook my head, but his eyes appraised me as though he wasn't sure if I was telling the truth. After one moment of looking at me he ripped himself away to address Harry.

"Where in the hell were your sodding aurors?" Dominick's voice was low and threatening, filled with rage that I had a hard time comprehending. Harry wiped blood from his cheek, anger clear in his expression.

"Trust me, I'd like to know." He said through pursed lips. Harry turned away, addressing Molly. "Who took the kids?"

"The girls did, and Charlie too." Molly answered quickly. "They flooed to the ministry." She added with haste.

"Mrs. Weasley, go to St. Mungo's, make sure Arthur and Ron are alright. Bill, go to the ministry and make sure everyone is unharmed and accounted for, then report back immediately with that information." Harry urged. "George do what you must to find out where in the bloody hell the aurors were today." He spat, fighting to keep calm. Within a moment, Harry, Dominick and I were alone in the destroyed living room of the burrow.

"Are you hurt Harry?" I choked on my own voice, coughing. "I can heal anything." I added in assurance. He appraised me for a moment, as if to argue that I couldn't before gesturing to his shoulder, where he had been clipped. I was woozy from the adrenaline, but refused to show it. Harry and Dominick needed me right now, if nothing less than for the investigation.

"Hermione I don't know what you were thinking. You spent too much time worrying about Ron, you shouldn't have lost your wand." Harry scolded. "If Evans hadn't stepped in I would've had to, and we could have all been injured." I knew he was right, and as much as it hurt to hear he was speaking as head auror, not as my friend. I was foolish to try and duel for both of us.

"Back off Potter, if your aurors had been here like she thought, then she wouldn't have had to fight at all." Dominick seethed, standing defensively in front of me. I didn't know what to make of his stance, but my heart purred in acceptance of it. Before I had a chance to process his words, he spun around to face me.

"And bloody hell, hold still will you!" He shouted. "If you lose anymore blood from your head you won't even be able to spell your own name." He added in a less livid, more irritated tone. I stood still, unaware that I was bleeding. I took in a sharp breath and with a precise movement, he placed his wand on my scalp. It stung for a moment, but then I felt the familiar tingling of healing bringing the skin of my gash together. Harry didn't seem to know what to make of the entire exchange. Clearly Dominick was angry and although we knew the main reason, the underlying anger was muddled.

"Everyone is well and accounted for at the ministry." Bill's voice boomed as he entered the room through the fireplace. Harry gave him a curt nod.

"Thank you."

"Ginny said she's fine and told you to take your time." He added. Harry's expression relaxed at that, and he regained his professional composure.

"Bill would you stay with them until we have this under wraps, just incase." It was more of a command than a question, but Bill simply nodded, and flooed back to the ministry, leaving the three of us in silence once more.

"Ronald will be alright." Mrs. Weasley's voice cut in from the fireplace.

"Good." Harry sighed in relief. I let out a sigh of relief as well, but my stomach was still in knots, although I was worried about Ron, at the moment he was on the back-burner.

"He's asking for you Hermione."

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

Being attracted to Granger was just the beginning of my problems. Not only did I think she was unconventionally attractive, but I was enthralled by her mind. My biggest problem at the moment though, was the fact that I was unintentionally concerned for her well-being. I was completely enraged at the lack of aurors on the scene of the crime as they should have been. It became all too clear that the Weasley/Potter clan was fighting alone when I was attacked just inside the Burrow's territory by Rabastan Lestrange, one of the most sought after death eaters still at large. I should have detained him instead of hexing him and continuing my sprint towards Hermione, unfortunately she seemed to be clouding my judgment once again.

My mood was blackened with rage when I saw her on the floor, blood gushing from her forehead, wandless and defenseless. It took every bit of self-control I had left not to kill the death eater who'd disarmed her on the spot, though I wondered how she ended up so helpless, the answer became clear the moment the death eaters disapparated. She'd been trying to defend not only herself but her oaf of an ex as well. I no longer knew who or what to direct my unequivocal anger at. Potter surely deserved most of it, considering it was his _job_ to keep the aurors around. However something wasn't right with that, considering he seemed almost as livid as I was.

When Mrs. Weasley told Granger that Ron was asking for her, I knew I visibly tensed. I wasn't keeping up with appearances today, I just couldn't. If her curiosity at my behavior kept her from leaving my side, then it was for the best. It seemed as though an entire minute of painful silence had gone by before she finally answered her. I craned my head so I could make out her expression. She looked angry, but confident when she spoke.

"I have an investigation to launch, I won't leave." The knot in my stomach loosened just a little and I sharply exhaled a sigh of relief. I would never be jealous of Weasley; however I didn't want Granger out of my sight at the moment. Mrs. Weasley seemed to understand her answer enough, and curtly nodded before disappearing into the green embers.

"What happened?" I growled, directing my question at Potter. He sighed before charming a quill to record his words.

"A killing curse shot through the west window without any warning, just barely missing Hermione." He started. I clenched my jaw, anger throbbing through my entire body. My fists were balled up at my sides, waiting for him to continue. "We got the kids out, and two death eaters came in from the west. About a minute later a third death eater entered from the east. A minute after that a fourth death eater came from the north and a fifth from the south. They weren't aiming properly, they were attacking blindly and very few hexes other than the killing curse were used. They were dueling to kill." Potter spit the last word out with disdain.

"They didn't seem to be targeting any of us in particular." Granger added, shifting her weight from left to right. "It felt like a distraction, like killing us was only a perk." She said.

"I was attacked on the outskirts of the burrow." I offered and their attention sparked. "It was Rabastan, I injured him but he apparated away. At first I thought that they called themselves off when they realized they were outnumbered, but that's how they entered the situation." I reasoned, my anger barely subsiding.

"They may have been confused by your mark, Dominick." Potter tried. I shook my head though, even if they'd seen it they would have wanted to fight harder against me. "Highly unlikely, it would have just confused them, when death eaters are confused their instinct is to kill." I said dryly.

"So there were six then? And one of them was definitely Rabastan?" Granger looked to me for confirmation. I nodded, trying to refrain from looking at her, I'd get too angry.

We continued to discuss logistics of the attack while countless ministry investigators began documenting it. We spent hours and hours at the burrow, throwing theories at one another, gathering more and more information. As angry as I was that this had happened at such an inopportune moment, it was nice to actually have something to discuss when it came to the case. For the first time since the case began I felt like we were making a small amount of headway.

"Harry, I talked to all your aurors." George Weasley approached us long after dark.

"And?" Potter grumbled, clearly as angry with them as I was.

"It erm…it seems that Ron gave them the day off." The Weasley spluttered nervously. I was seeing red, of course this would be that sodding idiot's fault.

"Thanks George." Potter dismissed him, and as soon as he was out of earshot Harry began scribbling on parchment. "They are all on probation. They shouldn't have taken bloody orders from anyone but me. For Merlin's sake Ron isn't even an auror." He muttered angrily.

"Why would he do that?" Granger whispered, her eyes wide with disappointment. I nearly reached out for her hand, but refrained.

"Bloody imbecile." I spat and for once nobody seemed to disagree with me.

Hours later I was exhausted, it was reaching half 1 in the morning, and the investigation was finally wrapping up. I glanced to Granger who was drifting in and out of consciousness sitting at the newly repaired Weasley kitchen table. I pried myself from my chair, and walked over, stopping just a few feet from her.

"Granger." I whispered, hoping I wouldn't have to touch her. I lightly tapped her shoulder with the backs of my fingers. She shot upright in her seat, patting her pockets for what I only assumed would be her wand.

"Oh…" She whispered, noticeably relaxing, "It's just you." She softly smiled standing up. I bit back a grin at her reaction.

"We should go back to the flat, it's late and we have a lot of work to do tomorrow." I said as calmly as possible. She nodded, walking alongside me towards the door.

"Goodnight Hermione, good work today." Potter stopped her, giving her a warm hug on her way out. My chest ached with something close to jealousy.

"You too Harry, see you soon." She whispered, pulling away.

"Don't know what we would have done without you today Dominick." Potter offered, a small smile on his face. I returned the gesture rather than wringing his neck for not doing his job adequately. Hermione tripped over her own two feet and I stabilized her, holding her elbow gingerly. To my surprise she leaned into my touch while we walked across the field in silence, towards the apparition point. I relished the feel of her body so relaxed, so close to mine, depending on me for support. I slowed my pace, making this last as long as it possibly could. Tonight I wouldn't fight this, I would just let it happen. As much as I had been looking forward to sleeping in my own home, in the familiar green, satin sheets waiting for me, right now being with Granger felt even more like home.

We reached the apparition point too quickly, and to my surprise she held tightly to my arm, signaling me to apparate us both. I grinned inwardly, both of us disappearing from the scene instantly. When our feet hit the floor of Granger's flat she hesitated, and I watched her take a deep breath before detaching herself from me.

"Thank you." She looked up at me, her big brown eyes shining with a vulnerable sincerity that was almost blissfully painful to watch. I opened my mouth, searching for the right words to ask her why, but they wouldn't come to me.

"You were great today. I'm sorry that you didn't get to spend Christmas with your Mum." She whispered, averting her eyes downward. There was very little space between us, enough that I could hear accelerated pitter patter of her heartbeat. I very nearly titled her face up so I could explore her eyes once more.

"It's alright." I said dumbly. My face flushed with embarrassment for lack of better words. Damn her for muddling my vocabulary.

"I'm going go to St. Mungo's. I promised Ron, and I don't want to spend tomorrow there." She said hesitantly, biting her lip. My heart sank. "I just want you to know that I was wrong about you. I think you're good. I know you might not believe that, but I think that you're a changed man." She whispered. I thought about her words, and something seemed wrong about them. My heart was beating erratically; I had to fight the urge to press my lips against hers, to hold her in my arms. My chest was warm with her compliment towards my character. Maybe she wasn't entirely wrong; maybe my mother wasn't wrong either. There were so many things I wanted to say to her, so many questions I had. I held my tongue.

"I'll be back soon." She said. She made to turn away, but hesitated. She was chewing on her lip with anxiousness. In a swift, sudden movement she wrapped her thin arms around my torso, burying her face in my chest.

"I don't think you hate me and I know I couldn't hate you if I tried." She mumbled the words against me, vibrating my body to its core. Every nerve ending was a live wire as I lost myself in her embrace, not caring that it was wrong. I didn't care that she was annoying, because in this moment she was making me happier than I ever remembered being. I didn't have the words to respond, I didn't know what I could possibly say to convey to her that I felt something between us. I was too late though, in a singular moment, she was gone. I watched her disappear into the green flames of her fireplace to spend her night with Weasley.

As much as the Weasel continued to infuriate me, in this moment I couldn't be angry. She might be spending the night with Weasley by obligation, but she was coming home to me by choice. She had just made it evident that she preferred me, that she thought I was good. I didn't even attempt to stop the stupid grin that spread across my face. I stepped into the floo and went straight to my Mother's, deciding that despite the time of night she'd want to hear all about my revelation.

* * *

><p><strong>So please be kind, I'm not exaclty excellent at writing the battle scenes so I'm sorry :( However I hope you enjoyed the Dramione moments :) And of course the newly thickened plot. Oh and I guarentee the next chapter will be simply rivoting. Please review, I'll update sooner that way! Thanks!<strong>

**-Onalee**


	8. Archives

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor his wizarding world, that's JKRowling's job. **

I ran through the corridors of the Ministry of Magic, the only sound being the clack of my own shoes hitting the tile floor. My heart hammered against my ribs, screaming in protest after all the exertion I'd put forth today. I'd decided this couldn't wait a moment longer. He might not want me to know, but it didn't matter, nothing could change my mind about him now.

"Come on, come on." I muttered as I waited for the elevator to take me to the fourth floor. I slid through the opening doors and set a brisk pace towards the archive center that I was seeking. I approached the secretary desk and hastily retrieved my wand, thrusting it in her direction. I didn't have the patience for pleasantries. It was nearly 2 in the morning, and I didn't have much time.

"Hello Miss Granger, may I help you?" The tiny brunette secretary asked, ignoring my outstretched hand.

"I need access to the archives, it's quite urgent." I fought to keep my voice even, but I was twisted in emotions to my core. I rarely made a decision like this based on emotion, but I knew somehow this was right. Besides I would never be able to focus of the case now, not without knowing.

"Very well Miss Granger. Your wand please." She requested, sliding the wand from my fingers. I looked around nervously, as though I was doing something wrong. This may not be morally correct, but under every effect of the law I was allowed access to these files.

"You may proceed." She offered, handing me back my wand. I strode through the double doors which had been unlocked, nodding to the auror who stepped aside for me.

It wasn't a large room, nor did it need to be. It didn't take me long to find the files I was looking for. There were thirty-two pieces of separate parchment, and I didn't waste any time laying them in front of me, deciding my best route of action. One of these parchments held Dominick's identity, and I wasn't leaving this room until I found out which one.

I eliminated the 14 defected death eaters that were no longer on probation, along with the 2 female death eaters. That left 16 potential Dominicks. Each file was large. The random weekly checks that were done on each of the wands, was impressive and extensive. I learned a lot from the files. I had no idea that each defected death eater was subject to attend therapy until the ministry officially let them off of probation. I was also surprised to learn that most of them were also under an alias until the ministry cleared their name publically.

I took the liberty of organizing the files in order of their rank to Voldemort. I began with the one farthest away, planning on working my way closer to the inner circle from there. Before I opened it, I took a deep breath, remembering that minutes ago I'd promised myself this would not change the way I felt about him. No matter who he was, he was good, that much I was certain.

In each file I went straight to the same thing, the last magic they used. I was just with Dominick, so I knew the magic he'd done all day, it would be obvious when I saw it. I was beginning to question my tactics when I was down to the last four files. I paid no attention to the names at the top, not wanting to know who he was until I was sure that it was him. It was too much of an emotional roller coaster to imagine Dominick as each defected death eater.

I gingerly placed each file back where it belonged and stared at the last one on the floor in front of me. It had to be him, none of the others fit. I opened it, and before reading the name I looked to the recent magic he'd used. My eyes widened as I read through the events of my day through his magic. Each spell he'd dueled with was there, the time, date and location matched perfectly. This was Dominick. I finished scanning his magic, when I noticed after his apparition to my flat, he'd used magic once more.

_1:34 AM. 26, December. Disapparition from Devon, England_

_1:56 AM. 26, December. Flooed to Malfoy Manor_

I stared at the last two words incredulously. Suddenly I remembered why this parchment was the last one. It was the death eater that was closest to Voldemort's inner circle. I was petrified to learn the name that I already knew. Scrawled atop the parchment I read the name six times and once aloud, just to be sure it was real.

"Draco Malfoy." I breathed.

I felt like I could faint. It was so obvious. I blinked profusely, the information refusing to anchor in my brain. Those eyes, I knew I'd seen them before. He was the boy who tortured my childhood. He called me names and watched his aunt torture me. He was related to half the inner circle. I couldn't believe I hadn't put it together, it was so obvious now. The fact that he resented his father, that he loved his reformed mother, they all added up. I felt physically unable to move. Not only did they add up, but they were glaringly obvious from the start. The way he talked to me, like he hated me.

Somehow all the teasing and insults he'd thrown my way took a new effect. I'd played them off before, not thinking that they had so much meaning. Malfoy truly hated me. Malfoy hated me so much that it was laughable to think he'd treated me with anything less than disdain. His behavior during our arguments completely made sense now. He wasn't trying to detach himself from me, he just hated me and in those moments where he was kind, he was trying to conceal his true identity. I shook my head tears springing from my eyes. I didn't even try to stop myself from crying, my tears were justified and long overdue.

As much as his hatred towards me was explainable, I couldn't bring myself to understand some of his actions. Today he'd stood in front of me like he cared about me, he even stood up to Harry for me. Although now it made sense why he would do that, I'm sure he loved to infuriate Harry. But he'd healed me. I couldn't find a selfish nature in the way he gingerly placed his wand at the base of my wound and healed me. He half-carried me to the apparition point tonight without a complaint. He was so careful with me. When I embraced him, he returned the gesture with just as much gusto as I had.

I let out a sob, my tears thickened in confusion and exhaustion. I didn't know what to think anymore. I was tired and I wanted to pretend this didn't happen. He was right, I should have let him tell me, I shouldn't have gone off by myself trying to figure him out. The funny thing about it though, was that my feelings for him didn't change. I still thought he was unexplainably good. He might have a dark, dark past that just wasn't compatible with mine, but he was certainly good.

I picked up his file and put it back with the others, wiping tears from my cheeks. I needed to leave. I would have gone back to my flat, but he was there, and I needed to figure this out. I didn't even know how I was supposed to act around him now, and would I tell him I knew? None the less I had to get out of the ministry. Before long reporters would be up, and with my luck they'd spot me and stir up some more lovely rumors. I passed the secretary's desk without so much as acknowledging her, and headed for the fireplaces. Without thinking, I muttered the address of my one and possibly only friend in the world.

_"Expelliarmus!" _My wand clattered to the floor before I'd even set foot in his living room. "Who wrote Hogwarts, A History?" Harry asked, his wand pointed towards my throat, I nearly laughed.

"Professor Garnius Tomkink, honestly that's the security question you're using?" I scoffed, shoving his wand out of the way.

"Well I didn't really have one on hand, and it was the first thing that came to mind. I wasn't really expecting you, and you can't be too careful, especially not after a day like today." He sighed in exhaustion. "Are you alright Hermione?" He asked, apparently noticing my tearstained cheeks. He sat down at the table, gesturing for me to do the same.

"No, I'm really not." I answered honestly. "I came across some, erm information tonight." I said, biting my lip. I didn't want to give away too much.

"We all did." He nodded.

"No, I mean, after all that, I went to the Ministry." I started. He looked up at me in confusion.

"Honestly Hermione you need to get some sleep, I don't know what weird thing you have going on with Dominick, but you can't let it get in the way of your work and your health, you look bloody terrible." He said, patting my hand. I shook my head absently.

"I found out who he is Harry, or rather who he was." I started, standing up, pacing the small length of his kitchen.

"What do you mean?" He asked, his brow furrowing in concern.

"I uncovered his alias." I replied.

"Did we know him?" Harry asked, concern filling his eyes. "I didn't think we would, I mean he clearly wasn't passionate about Voldemort, you can tell that by looking at the incredible work he's done." Harry added. I nodded, understanding the truth in his words, he was a changed person and it was clear that he'd never _liked_ working for Voldemort. However that didn't change everything he'd done.

"We know him." I whispered, tears forming in my eyes once more. "The trouble is I don't know if I can look at him the same, knowing who he is." I began, tears threatening to fall. "He's obviously a good guy right? So what if you found out he's someone who we thought was inherently evil?" I let tears fall now, looking to Harry for any kind of support.

"Who is he Hermione?" Harry asked, standing up too, bracing my shoulders in support.

"This is _stupid_." I sobbed, growing angrier. I wanted to throw myself on the floor and have a tantrum like a child. I didn't care that it was juvenile.

"Falling in love is supposed to be _fun._" I sobbed against him. "I spent my entire adolescence fighting off dark wizards and when I finally got to be with Ron and it was short lived. It's not fair!" I nearly yelled. I ripped myself away from Harry. "I can't believe him! I can't believe his audacity!" I threw my hands in the air with annoyance. "How dare he spend the last four years insinuating that I couldn't have taken care of him? His blood obnoxious pride _ruined_ us." I said through gritted teeth.

"Then this Dominick character," I used air quotes for his name. "He just waltzes in acting like he cares about me when it's bloody obvious he couldn't ever do such a thing!" I shouted.

"Hermione I think Dominick does care about you." Harry said softly, sitting back in his seat, content to let me rant.

"That's just the thing though, his name isn't Dominick, and the guy he really is, could never take a second look at me." I seethed, feeling foolish for falling for his tricks.

"No, I think people change, Hermione. And any guy would be stupid not to take a second look at you." He said. My face was red with irritation, he wouldn't understand.

"I don't want to look like a fool again Harry!" I shouted, my body trembling with anger and exhaustion. Tears rolled down my cheeks freely.

"Did you see him run in today?" Harry asked, "He defended you. Just in the way he looks at you, you can tell that he cares about you. I mean hell Hermione, even Ron was willing to give the guy a chance." Harry smiled patting me on the back.

"Shit, Ron!" I yelped, remembering that part of my night's agenda was to check in with Ron. Harry gave me a curious look. "I was supposed to see him tonight!" I groaned, collapsing into the chair and rubbing my tearstained cheeks.

"Hermione, it's 3 in the morning. Go home." He whispered, embracing me tightly. I nodded my head in his shoulder, trying to regain my composure. Hopefully Draco would have long since retired to his room, so I wouldn't have to face him until morning.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

I stomped back and forth in the study, growing angrier with each moment that she wasn't home. It was nearly 3 and for all I knew she was ambushed. When I spoke with St. Mungo's they said she hadn't been there, and I was beginning to fear the worst. After an attack like today it was completely fathomable that she was abducted, but how could I proceed from here? I rapped my fingers against the fireplace.

My night had been pleasant before I'd begun to worry about her. I'd visited my Mother, and she was simply thrilled to see a smile plastered over my features. I didn't tell her about Granger, then again I didn't really have to. My Mother didn't intervene in my life. One of the many things I loved about her was that she was content to let me make my own decisions. Most of her reasoning for that came from darker times I was sure. There were times when I couldn't make my own decisions, we both found a small token of happiness in that freedom.

When I'd arrived at the flat 30 minutes later, I was only slightly annoyed not to find Granger strewn across the sofa, asleep. I decided then to begin intensifying the wards on her flat. I knew her wards were complex, but combined with mine they would be ridiculously effective. I took a small amount of pleasure in being the protector. When I'd finished reinforcing her wards, I began to slightly worry about the length of her absence.

One of the many, many psychological side effects I'd noticed from my time as a death eater was my lack of emotional range. Whenever I felt an unpleasant emotion, such as worry or fear, I only portrayed anger. It was quite obvious to me that it was necessary to do that while being a death eater, considering fear was completely unacceptable. However my anger now was becoming increasingly alarming. The more I worried I got the angrier I became. I had half a mind to use legilimens on the secretary at St. Mungo's when she said she hadn't seen Granger.

I strode across the room in anger, fetching a quill and parchment to write to Potter. If he hadn't seen her then I'd alert the ministry. I could only imagine the massive man-hunt that would ensue if it was reported that the golden girl Granger had gone missing. I shuddered at the thought when I heard movement in the fireplace. I spun around snatching my wand as Hermione emerged from the green embers.

Emotions swirled through me, first relief and then happiness, but they were both replaced quickly with quivering anger. I appraised her appearance swiftly, she looked emotionally distraught, and tired, but she didn't seem to have been attacked. I was thankful that she was well for only a moment before I felt enraged and almost betrayed. She had lied to me. How dare she make me worry like that? How could she be so entirely selfish?

"Where the hell have you been?" I barked.

"I'm sorry; I know I took a long time." She answered quietly, staring at the floor, obviously trying to move past me, I gripped her arm to stop her. She flinched at my touch. I frowned heavily at her reaction. Hadn't we just gotten past this touching thing?

"I know you weren't at St. Mungo's." I spat, staring at her, almost willing her to look at me. She did no such thing.

"I'm sorry, I know. I went to the ministry to see if Ginny and the kids were okay, but they weren't there so I went to Harry's and I got caught up talking to all of them, I'm so sorry." She said, biting her lip. My heart throbbed just a little at the despair in her voice. Something told me that she wasn't giving me the whole story though.

"What's wrong?" I meant to sound concerned, but my words were harsh and demanding. I didn't care though, I had to know what was going on.

"Nothing, it's just, it's been a long day, that's all. And I didn't visit Ronald, so I'll have to do that tomorrow." She glanced around, refusing to meet my eyes. She was holding something back, and it was entirely irritating. I contemplated arguing with her, but decided that she probably wouldn't say anything sane anyway; she was in dire need of sleep.

"Fine Granger. Go to bed you probably feel like shit." I was annoyed with my own word choice. It was difficult for me to be nice to anyone, especially someone I was annoyed with.

"Night." She replied, angling her body away as she walked past me, almost like she didn't want to touch me.

I shook my head in confusion, going in search of some firewhiskey. Granger was too much. An hour ago, she'd basically told me that she liked being with me. Now her actions were conveying exactly the opposite. It wasn't like I hadn't done it to her. Maybe she felt the same way, maybe she was shying away _because_ of the attraction. I tried to be rid of that thought, although Granger being attracted to me would be fine, even ideal, it was nearly impossible. She might believe that I'm good, but she wouldn't for long and I had to keep that in mind, I couldn't get my hopes up. I decided that I would simply try to avoid making my feelings for her pronounced no matter how difficult it became. I poured myself a tall glass of firewhiskey, my willpower was fading fast, and if I didn't give in to _something_, I knew I would end up making a grave mistake.

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><p><strong>an: Sorry this chapter's short! I ended up cutting it in half, it got way too long and I was switching perspective too much so this ends up being kind of filler, but in the next couple chapters a few things unfold so I'm looking forward to getting it out there. Thanks as always to all of you who have reviewed, it seriously makes my day! Read and review this please and I'll get up the next chapter even faster! **

**-Onalee**


	9. Interrogation

**Disclaimer: I obviously do not own Harry Potter, nor his wizarding world. That's JKRowling's job. **

Despite my lack of sleep, I still woke up early to a ministry owl tapping on my bedroom window. I stretched groggily, standing up to let it in. I untied the parchment from its leg, letting the previous day's events slowly sink into my mind before dismissing the owl. I shivered involuntarily and nearly collapsed, I was tired and my body hadn't recovered from yesterday's rigorous dueling. I read over the parchment addressed to me.

_Miss Granger,_

_Your request for interrogation of Lucius Malfoy has been granted._

_Your presence will be required at 12 o'clock pm at on the third floor of the ministry of Magic. _

_Head Auror Mr. Potter will be escorting you and Mr. Evans to Azkaban prison. _

I didn't read any further than that. My forehead smacked against the wall in aggravation, exhaustion and annoyance. I decided not to dwell on my poor decisions at this particular moment and I stepped into the shower. I had completely forgotten up until the arrival of the letter that I had requested interrogation of Lucius Malfoy. I shuddered at the thought of seeing him. I groaned as I thought about the fact that there was absolutely no way out of it either. I had to go see him, if I didn't Draco would start to question why I didn't, although I was sure he'd insist on accompanying me, even though it was probably the last thing on earth he wanted to do.

I began to sew together the clues he'd subconsciously let me have. I remembered him saying that his father got what he deserved, so surely he didn't visit him. Besides even if he wanted to I was almost positive the ministry wouldn't allow that. Today was going to be rough, and it wasn't even ten yet. I let my body slide to the floor of the shower; I was far too exhausted to continue wasting energy on standing. I let my tangled mess of brown hair cushion my head against the tile as I leaned back, closing my eyes and letting the nearly scalding water run over my face. My chest was heaving for air and I drew my knees in close to my body to avoid facing the physical evidence of a justified panic attack.

I drew in a long deep breath, trying to calm myself, but it wasn't any help. Everything was messed up. I'd gone and ruined a little bit of everything in my life. I had no safe haven to fall back on anymore. I didn't have my parents, I didn't have Ron. My job was too stressful to focus on and I obviously could no longer rely on my co-worker, at least not without second guessing myself at every turn. I felt as though I couldn't even trust my instincts anymore. Although they'd given me a heads up on the attack yesterday they also told me without a shadow of a doubt to let myself trust Draco, which I just didn't think I would ever be able to do. I knew he was a changed person, even a _good_ person, however so much damage had been done in the past that I couldn't bring myself to just accept his identity.

I tried to take several more deep breaths, ignoring the goose bumps that broke out across my body. I needed to talk this out with someone; unfortunately there was absolutely nobody who knew me inside and out anymore. I'd always have Harry but I didn't want to tell him about Malfoy, not when he was so hell bent on liking Dominick, I didn't want to complicate that part of Draco's life, it would only make our job more difficult.

"Granger, are you alive?" I jumped at the knock on the bathroom door, scrambling to my feet clumsily.

"Yeah, erm just fell asleep." I almost laughed in spite of myself. That response was hardly far from the truth after all.

"That doesn't surprise me in the slightest." I heard him mumble as his footsteps descended to the hallway. I scrubbed my body quickly after that, stepping out of the shower long before I wanted to, knowing that I had a lot of unpleasant things to do.

"Are you ready?" Draco asked. He was standing by the fireplace with his traveling cloak on when I finally finished dressing.

"Are you going somewhere?" I asked, wondering if he somehow had found out about our appointment this afternoon. I was momentarily relieved at the notion, it would be wonderful if I didn't have to inform him we were off to see his murderous father.

"You insist upon seeing Weasley don't you?" I tuned into the way he said Ron's name, feeling idiotic for not noticing the tone of his disdain before. He hardly did a good job disguising his personality traits.

"Well, yeah." I started, confused. I was sure that he wouldn't care to accompany me to see Ron.

"I can't have you going off alone, not after yesterday. Every time I leave, chaos ensues." He smirked and I blushed. He'd absolutely _never_ looked at me that way as a child. His smirk was less harsh and hateful, like he was actually flirting with me. I shook off the hopeful thought, wondering if I'd gone mad. Wanting Malfoy to flirt with me was nothing less than nutty.

"Besides," He continued, noticing my confused expression. "I do wish to have a word with him, after his incident with the aurors." He grimaced. My eyes zoned in on his clenched fists and I prayed that he wouldn't be irate enough to kick Ron while he was down. I frowned and gestured for him to proceed into the fireplace.

"Not very chatty this morning Granger, did something happen last night?" He questioned, ignoring my gesture altogether. He was intuitive.

"No, no sorry." I rasped, I cleared my throat intending to speak with more confidence than that. "I'm just really tired." I added, trying to sound convincing, but I knew I wouldn't be fooling anyone. Before he could hose me with another question I stepped into the floo myself.

There was only a moment of relief from his presence before he followed me through the fireplace at St. Mungo's, brushing past me to speak to the secretary. I took a deep breath, closing my eyes. I needed to clear my mind, there was no way I was going to get through this day, let alone the rest of this case if I kept acting like I'd just seen a murder.

"This way Granger." Draco's smooth voice sent a chill up my spine. His tone was low and almost sensual. I had a hard time not leaning into the hand that guided the small of my back for just a moment.

"Should you go first, or shall I?" He asked when he stopped. I glanced in the direction of what I presumed to be Ron's door and shrugged.

"We can't go in together?" I asked, but the words sounded so weird coming from my mouth. The thought of Malfoy and I doing anything together was so odd, like oil and water.

"I suppose we could. However I plan on speaking with him about the case, I was under the impression you came for more…_personal_ reasons." He said, his eyebrow shooting up at my request. He nearly growled the word personal, and for another split second I questioned his feelings towards me.

"We should just go in together." I confirmed. The moment I said it I wondered why I had, I knew that watching Draco argue with Ron wasn't something I wanted to see, however I hardly wanted to face Ron alone. I supposed subconsciously I had a desire to use Malfoy for support. I rolled my eyes at my own intuitions, wondering why I was so attracted to the things that would inevitably hurt me.

"Hermione." Ron breathed upon my entrance to the room, closely followed by Malfoy. Ron looked beaten up. My heart surged with pain, he looked far too similar to the night when he'd been injured on the field, when everything started to go wrong for us.

"Evans." He added in a less pleased voice, not hiding his frown as Malfoy took to the chair in the farthest corner of the small room. Ron had never been good at being discrete.

"Hey." I managed to get out, before scooting the other chair up to him. I left a foot between us, afraid of getting too close. "How are you feeling?" I asked.

"I'm alright, nothing major, I'll be out later today. They just wanted to keep me for observation and stuff." He shrugged playing it off. I rolled my eyes. Suddenly a familiar feeling washed over me.

"I'm sorry Ron I was right there, I wasn't paying any attention," I began to mutter feeling guilt seep through me.

"It was hardly your fault Granger." I stiffened at Malfoy's voice from the corner. He sat with one leg crossed over the other, his arms taught across his chest. He seemed annoyed, but at least tolerant.

"It wasn't your fault, jeeze Hermione when are you ever going to get that?" Ron scoffed less tenderly from the bed. He was nearly pouting.

"What happened then?" I asked trying to change the subject. I swallowed hard.

"You know how that curse way back then weakened me? Well you know it's hard to recover from that kind of dark magic, at one point they weren't even sure if I could relearn to walk remember?" He asked absently. I nodded my head, of course I remembered, it had been some of the worst times of my life, standing by his side, watching him struggle, unable to utter a word of help.

"Well anyway I haven't really dueled since then and I got clipped by one of those nasty little hexes and my body just completely gave out. I blacked out I guess." He shrugged. I could have sworn I'd heard a tiny snicker from Malfoy, but Ron was ignorant to it.

"I'm glad you're alright then." I started awkwardly, "I would stay much longer you know but since the attack I do have a massive amount of work to do, and Kingsley certainly isn't very happy with us." I sighed. Ron looked pained for a moment and then simply irritated as he nodded and crossed his arms. I expected nothing less of him though. Just when I went to give Malfoy the okay to speak he was already standing.

"Which is what brings me here Weasley." He started. I took notice of his mannerisms now, noticing the way he expectantly ran his fingers through his short hair, as though he though more would be there. He voice hadn't changed much with the potion; that much I was sure, his inflection was identical to the racist, arrogant Malfoy I'd grown up with.

"I'm under the impression that you gave the aurors the day off." He started, keeping his composure. I was impressed once more by his professionalism. Ron however furrowed his brow, sitting up straighter as though he was expecting a fight. It was almost ironic, that Ron was the one wanting to fight with his enemy, even though his was oblivious to his existence, yet Draco seemed content to chat calmly, knowing full well that he and Weasley hated each other. "Which unfortunately put us all in a bad position yesterday." Ron opened his mouth to interject but Draco held up a hand to stop him. "Let me finish Weasley." He threatened. My heart beat faster, hanging on Draco's every word. "Death eater's are not inherently known to be particularly bright, however I have a sneaking suspicion that they would not have even attempted to enter the burrow's territory had they even suspected that they would be outnumbered not only by your family but also by half a dozen extra aurors. You can see why this makes me quite weary of you, can you not?" Draco finished, stopping his pacing at the end of Ron's bed, folding his arms behind his back as he locked Ron's gaze, waiting for him to answer. I knew Ron wouldn't take his speech well, and suddenly I was glad I was there, be there a need to diffuse the situation.

"Are you accusing me of something Evans?" Ron snarled through gritted teeth.

"I'm simply questioning your motives. I would think that you would have at least let someone else know that you were apparently giving the aurors authority to leave, authority, might I add, that isn't yours." Draco continued, refusing to lose his patience. I watched the exchange in awe as Ron got even more flustered. His face was nearly the color of his hair when he spoke again.

"It's my sodding house! It was bloody Christmas!" He spat, shouting now. "And who gives you the right to _question_ my motives? I recall it was me fighting against _you_ lot in the war so don't you fucking question me on my loyalty!" He shouted, making me wince.

"I prefer you not shout Weasley, there's no need; especially not while we have company." Draco gestured to me and I shied away, looking down in a childish manner. I knew that was a bold move, Ron would be territorial about me. He looked from Draco to me momentarily, his rage only being fuelled. "I simply requested your reasoning in letting the aurors go; nobody else could seem to find a sane path of logic that settled on your decision, so I came to question you myself." Draco continued.

"I let them go because it was Christmas and I've been in their bloody position. Keeping watch on Christmas is bloody obnoxious! Nobody ever attacks on Christmas!" Ron fumed.

"I was under the impression that Miss Granger and Potter were attacked by Nagini on Christmas eve during the war, maybe you hadn't heard, after all you were absent for that particular stunt, were you not?" Draco snapped sarcastically, his impatience for Ron becoming more pronounced. His jabs were getting too personal and I knew I would have to stop this soon. I couldn't blame him though, not after Ron hit him below the belt with the death eater comment.

"Listen Evans, I don't know who you think you are, but I'm Ron Weasley, I took down Voldemort and I'm not scared of you and your little remarks. And I think you should keep your mouth shut because if you really want to talk about the war, we can talk all about that little mark on your arm and how you were the one trying to kill _us._" Ron spluttered, obviously not prepared for his knowledge.

"You're right, we should leave the past in the past." Malfoy seethed, casually making his way to Ron's left. "But listen here." Malfoy bent down so he was a foot from Ron's face, his velvety voice dark and threatening. "Some people might overlook your mistakes because you're the beloved ginger sidekick of Harry Potter, but I will do no such thing. If you so much as nudge Granger into a situation anywhere near similar to the attack yesterday, I will not hesitate to snap your wand myself. There's nothing I can do about the ignorance you hold toward your own family's safety, however I'll take responsibility for hers, since you never seemed to be able to." He spoke so quickly that I barely caught it at all, but not unlike my own expression, Ron's jaw practically hit the floor.

Draco strode out of the room without so much as acknowledging me, and it took me a moment to snap out of my trance. I quickly exited the room before Ron's inevitable outburst of fury and was bewildered by my own emotions. I could not believe that Draco Malfoy had stood up for me in that manner. The way he spoke to Ron was so suave and elegant, like he'd planned his entire speech. He was so casual about the encounter, refusing to let Ron play on his emotions. He was completely and utterly effective. If only momentarily I allowed the butterflies in my stomach to squirm with an odd sense of delight. He was certainly Draco Malfoy, however this version of him may not be quite so bad. I smiled in spite of myself, maybe I did have someone to fall back on.

.

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><p>.<p>

I cursed under my breath for getting far too annoyed with Weasley's existence. I'd said too much in front of Granger and although I wasn't even entirely sure she'd heard me, it wasn't good for me to take those kinds of chances.

"Hey Dominick, Hermione." I rolled my eyes at the sound of Potter's rather cheery greeting before I turned around to nod at him.

"You don't want to go in there." Hermione bit her lip, grasping Harry's forearm.

"Why not? Is he alright?" He asked, nearly panicked.

"He's in a bit of a rage." Granger answered, shuffling her feet and looking down. She seemed to be doing a lot of that this morning.

"What happened?" Harry snapped. I resisted the urge to ask him why he always had to demand information of Granger so harshly.

"Well we talked to him about yesterday, asked him why he called off the aurors. We were nice, but you know how he is…" She trailed off. As I recalled I was the one threatening Weasley, but I didn't correct her, I was a little too fond of the way spoke of us as a "we".

"Ah I see." He nodded. "Oh right Hermione, about this afternoon, I meant to talk to both of you." He started. I raised an eyebrow at Granger, who stiffened biting her lip again. I didn't recall having plans this afternoon, and with each passing moment of silence it was becoming clear that she didn't want me to know about any plans.

"I haven't quite explained it to Dominick." She stuttered. "I imagine he isn't going to be too happy about it, so I intended to not prolong his rage by telling him rather last minute." She said hastily. My lips were pursed in sheer annoyance. I didn't like it when people kept secrets from me. To my surprise Potter let out a barking laugh, breaking the tension quite swiftly.

"You might want to let him in on the secret then 'Mione. Something tells me he's not going to be keen on it." Harry laughed, looking in my direction. "I was actually wondering how she managed to get you to agree to this." He said. It was becoming harder to contain my anger. "Might as well tell him here Hermione, you might need a buffer." He teased, gesturing to my clenched fists.

"Well um, a few weeks ago, when we were talking about interrogating death eaters, I was researching the process to even do something like that, and when I saw the amount of time that it would take, well I put in a request. I figured after the attack yesterday, it couldn't hurt to go, to learn a bit more about Rabastan if nothing else. Maybe he would know off instinct where Rabastan would go or who he would depend on." She said uneasily. My mind was racing, as a headache formed beneath my eye sockets. I had absolutely no desire to visit any death eater, and knowing Granger it would be the one I wanted to see the very least. I pinched the bridge of my nose and closed my eyes in an attempt to stay calm. It wasn't like I could let her go alone, and I knew she would insist on going no matter what.

"I couldn't help but notice you gave me no name. May I ask who exactly we are _apparently _visiting this afternoon." I spat, my voice far from even. I was running low on patience from Weasley, so I had absolutely no tolerance for this brand of bullshit.

"Lucius." She muttered, nearly cowering behind Harry. I had expected that. I only knew of one way that I could possibly persuade her into changing her mind and it was a stretch, in fact I was almost sure it would not work. I would have to beg her, and I would have to do it right here. Normally I would not lower myself to such pitiful standards, however I would do almost anything if it meant not having to face my father.

"I cannot emphasize enough how much I am against this." I said slowly, quietly. I looked up at her, willing her to look at me. She stared at the ground, biting her lip, already I knew she was contemplating not going through with it.

"I can't let you go alone, and don't argue with me on that." I clarified, building up the big question. "If you go, I have to go too, that is not debatable. However, I must urge that we have just gotten new information, you're sleep deprived and the odds of Lucius having any useful information is slim to none, it would be in our best interest not to see him." She finally looked at me, opening her mouth to speak. I cut her off before she had the chance.

"I think further than that, it could be damaging for you to see him. He did on several occasions try to personally slaughter you." She winced at my word choice, but kept eye contact. "I know that you probably won't let that stand in your way, you take far too much pride in your work for that, but I can't emphasize enough the negative impact he's had on me, personally." I swallowed, my mouth was suddenly dry. "Hermione, please." I let the last words take effect on her. She was stunned. It was evident in her posture and the tears in her eyes that she hadn't been expecting that.

"But, I made the appointment." She whispered, her words barely audible.

"Cancel. I'll do it for you." Potter interjected. Until this moment I'd forgotten he was even here.

"I need to do this. I will not let my fear get in the way of my work." She said, determination clear in her voice. I exhaled sharply.

"I was afraid that would be your answer." I mumbled. "Then fine, we'll go, but I promise you it won't be useful or pleasant, and you won't have anyone to blame but yourself." I seethed, almost instantly regretting my words.

"I understand." She replied simply. "We'd better get going, anyway, we should be there soon." She stated firmly, holding by gaze intently until she finally set a brisk pace towards the fireplaces. When she disappeared into the green embers, Potter patted me on the back in a friendly gesture. I nearly cringed.

"I'll make sure it's a rather quick visit." He said sternly. I nodded at him, silently thanking him, I hoped that on some level he understood my gratitude. "She hasn't been right lately…I think it's making her crazy. I would prefer to not allow this, however she needs a little victory right now, and if that includes watching Lucius Malfoy writhe in prison, then so be it." He continued. I cringed at the bite he put into my own last name, but considered his thoughts as I flooed to the ministry. Granger's pride certainly had taken a beating lately. I rolled my eyes, recalling how she considered herself a failure for not protecting the Weasley oaf more adequately.

The three of us were silent the entire distance to Azkaban which consisted of several magical obstacles. I tried to keep my breathing even, my heart rate normal, but I found myself nearly hyperventilating. My Father would recognize me, that much I was sure. If my mother could then so would he. I was quivering in fear by the time we sat in the small cement room in the three metal chairs that had been summoned for us. This was literally the very last way I wanted Granger to figure me out. She would be standing with the man who I could have become, the man that no longer had anything to do with me, the man I hated. I had been so focused on her reaction; I hadn't even prepared myself for the moment they brought him in.

A guard shoved him into the chair across from us, his hair was brittle and thinned, his body was frail and breakable, like he was rotting away. He was haggard, more so than the last few months of the war, which was disturbing. My head was throbbing and my chest ached as he looked up. I noticed the same relief in his features that my mother and I shared. Even though he was locked in Azkaban, rotting away for his crimes, he was still relieved to be rid of the dark lord. When he shifted his line of sight towards me, I kept my eyes downward. I would block out this as much as I could. I wouldn't run though, I wouldn't be a coward. I would face him.

I wanted to look at Granger, to see how she was handling it, but I couldn't. If I had any time to be selfish it was now. I was afraid at first for his answers to her questions, afraid that he would verbally degrade her, but to my surprise he was unnaturally compliant. Hearing his voice made bile rise to my throat and I knew I was visibly shaking. Never had I allowed myself to look so weak in front of anyone. It had been six years since I'd had to hear the condescending, cold and emotionless voice of my father and it was just the same.

"Do you know where he would have hidden?" Granger asked again. It had been an hours since we entered the room, and I silently cursed Potter for going back on his word. I paid little attention to her questioning, it was all that I could do to be in the room with him.

"For the last time, no." He spat. My head shot up at his sudden aggression. He noticed the movement and horrifyingly enough, his eyes locked on mine. I couldn't look away, and in that moment I might as well have not taken any potion at all, he saw right through me.

"How dare you?" His voice was so quiet that it was barely audible, but it held the same disdain and disappointment that it always had. His threatening tone made my hand twitch for my wand. He stared at me incredulously, I had to look away.

"You know I have no information of value." He hissed, sending another involuntary shiver through me. I was practically convulsing with chills. I tried to ignore him but his voice penetrated my mind, taking me to darker times. I could hear the rage bubbling in his voice, though it lacked the fervor his health used to provide him.

"How dare you sit there and condone this?" He asked, his volume just slightly louder. Even though he wasn't in any position to question me, I felt obligated to answer him. Whether out of reflex or fear I wasn't sure.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I muttered, refusing to meet his eyes. My voice was trembling, along with my entire body. The silence was startling, and I knew he wasn't through with me. If he could have stood from his seat he would have backhanded me several times over by now. My cheek stung with the memory.

"You can pretend all you want. But I know who you are." He whispered. I suddenly grew hot with anger. "You can put on a ministry badge but at the end of the day you'll have that mark to remind you where you allegiances lie." He hissed. He was wrong. I was not like him. I might carry the mark he forced upon me but I was _nothing_ like my father.

"Stop it." I snapped my head in the direction of her voice. Hermione was beat red, flushed with what was apparently anger. "You _don't _know him anymore." She whispered. I made the mistake of looking back at Lucius. He was smirking, his eyebrow cocked in amusement. He didn't have to speak, for me to know he was mocking me.

"This is what you've been reduced to? Letting women, much less mudbloods fight your battles for you?" He sneered, but before he'd even finished his sentence, in a fluid movement my wand was at his throat. I was shaking so hard that I could barely keep my hand steady but I refused to let him think for one moment that he still had any power over me.

"Keep your vile comments to yourself, or I'll be forced to—

"Forced to what?" He spat, laughter playing on the corners of his chapped lips. "You couldn't kill me if you tried! You've always been a coward. You'll never be more than a sub-par death eater. You can fool yourself all you want. I can see that somehow you've managed to get Potter on your side." He sneered. "But you will never be one of _them._ You'll always be a cowardly death eater, too scared to fight for anything." He spat, locking his eyes with mine. "I'm glad you're wearing this poor excuse for a disguise though, at the very least you won't disgrace your name with your lack of commitment." This was it, he was about to sell me out to Granger and Potter. He'd built it up perfectly and there was literally nothing I could do about it that wouldn't land me in a cell next to him. He took his moment to cynically smile at me.

"After all you are—

"_SILENCIO!" _Granger shouted with far too much gusto. "We're done here take him back." She uttered to the guard. I was frozen in position, my wand still outstretched at what was now nothing. I stared at her, feeling myself go into shock.

I didn't know what to feel, do or say. I was completely numb. I felt like I couldn't move, in fact I had a hard time communicating to my extremities. Slowly I lowered my wand and Granger took a step toward me, looking me straight in the face. I didn't understand the tears forming in her eyes and I understood even less when she began to rub my upper arm, like _she_ was comforting _me_. After that conversation it should have been clear to her that I was much closer to the dark lord than she thought. It was clear that I knew Lucius Malfoy personally, and yet she'd stopped him from revealing my identity. For what it was worth, I knew somewhere deep down that my father was wrong, however I couldn't articulate that for anything. I was not a coward anymore.

"He's wrong." She whispered, tears freely falling down her cheeks as she stared into my eyes. For a moment it felt like she knew it was me. "You are one of us. I promise." She whispered, her tears quivering her last words. She kept a careful distance between us, her hand still outstretched, rubbing my shoulder in small, slow circles.

"You can't know that." I whispered back. Suddenly I remembered our whereabouts and considered the position I was in. I was far too vulnerable. The way Granger was soothing me was almost painful. I became very aware of Potter standing near the entrance of the room, trying to keep from staring, but failing miserably. I wondered when I would stop being foolish. I'd shown too much vulnerability. I'd let her see the hold that Lucius had over me at one point. I ripped away from her touch, my heart aching at the loss of contact as I strode out the door. I didn't have to check to know that they were behind me.

"Hermione, just let him breathe." I heard Potter whisper as I set foot in the ministry, becoming more and more enraged by the second. I wished desperately that I could go anywhere else as I flooed to Granger's, desperate to release the anger that was bubbling inside. I was livid at the audacity of my father. With each minute that his words sank in, the more wrong I realized he was. I was _nothing_ like him. I might have done horrible things but I knew when to stop. Lucius knew no bounds. The difference between us was utterly simple. Lucius was vile whenever he had the chance to be. I didn't take every opportunity to serve the dark lord; in fact I only did it when I was absolutely forced to. He didn't know anything about me, he didn't know me then and he certainly didn't know me now..

As much as I hated my father for bestowing any kind of judgment on me, I had to wonder if I deserved the opportunity I was given. I couldn't justify anything I'd done in the past, whether or not the Dark Lord was watching me. I continued to wrestle with my morals in my mind when Granger came in. I had no patience for anyone at this moment, but of course she felt obligated to invade my space anyways. She stood just a few feet from me, rubbing her own arm subconsciously, biting her lip. I knew she was going to say something; she was just waiting for me to acknowledge her so I did no such thing. Of course it didn't stop her, nothing ever did.

"Stop it, you're torturing yourself. He's wrong." She said clearly. I had a hundred things I could say to her. It was irritating to me that she so blindly believed that I was so selfless. I didn't agree with my father, but at the same time I didn't think she was right either. I was somewhere between good and bad, desperate to redeem myself but knowing it would never be enough. I wanted to filter myself before I spoke, but things that I'd been thinking for years began to unfold from my voice without any censorship.

"He's not though!" I spat, looking her dead I the eyes as I screamed at her. I expected her to cringe, even run, but she stood her ground. "You have no fucking idea what I've done Granger." I growled, jabbing my finger at her. "I can sit here all day and work for the good guys, but the fact is that I was born to serve the Dark Lord and that is something I'll never be rid of!" I shouted, backing up, getting frustrated that I had very little hair to run my fingers through.

"Yes it is. He called me a mudblood without a second thought. I bet you have a hard time even _thinking _that word." She whispered desperately, stepping towards me. I turned my back to her. She had absolutely no idea. If she knew who I was she wouldn't be fighting it so hard, she would just accept what was.

"That doesn't mean anything." I spoke through gritted teeth. "Just because I'm not vile with my word choice, doesn't mean that I'm all of a sudden good." She tried to touch my hand but I ripped away from her, shocked by her audacity. She just didn't get it.

"Listen to yourself, you can't possibly believe you're evil. I've watched you work on this case, there's nothing selfish about what you're doing. I know you want freedom, but I listen to you when you talk, I know you want it for you mother more than yourself, and that is _not_ selfish, much less evil." She pleaded. I didn't understand her. She spent years fighting me, literally. I didn't understand why now she got this idea that I was somehow a saint. I wanted so badly to give in and take her into my arms, to tell her I was good, to feel her soft full lips crushed against mine. But it would be a lie.

I shook myself from my fantasies and focused on the truth. Once she learned my name, I would be nothing more than the vile, evil Malfoy she once knew. I might not be as bad at my father, but I would never be good. I would certainly never be good enough to be with someone like Granger. She was supposed to hate people like me, in fact she did, she just didn't know it.

"You don't know me!" I shouted, trying to get it through her skull. "If you knew me Granger, you'd be running for the hills, not trying to convince me that I'm a decent human being. News Flash, you don't think I'm decent!" I snarled.

"Yes I do!" She shouted back, tears forming again in her eyes. It was agonizing to watch her cry, but I had to do this, I had to let her know that I wasn't who she thought. I couldn't continue to deceive her, and I couldn't continue to pretend that she would ever feel something more than disgust for me.

"Granger I used to hate you!" I started, but she cut me off.

"You don't anymore, I know it!" She sobbed. I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath, trying not to let her sobs effect me. I came within inches of her face, it was a dangerous place for me, but I looked right at her.

"If you knew who I was, I guarantee, you'd be hexing me for being in the same vicinity as you." I searched her eyes, but she was already shaking her head. "I've done things that you can't even imagine." I hissed, but she wasn't going to get the picture. "I've watched him kill, I've helped him." My chest ached as I began to shake with the memories of terror that consumed my nightmares.

"I don't care." She whispered. Her insolence was beyond frustrating.

"YES YOU DO!" I screamed at her, throwing my hands in the air. I turned away from her to regain myself before turning back. "Granger you will never understand! You will hate me until the day I die because that's the way it is. I've done bad things and I have to pay for it. Trust me this is a small price to pay for what I've done!" I continued, knowing that if she didn't respond negatively to something I would have to take another course of action. "Why are you so damn persistent to find the 'golden boy' in me? It's not there Granger! It's not there." I searched her face; she was opening weeping now, but refused to wipe away her tears. "I'm never going to be someone like Ron." I regretted the words instantly, it was a low blow, but how else could I convince her of her hatred towards me. Her face contorted in pain and fury.

"You don't have to remind me what you've done, trust me, I know it all and I don't care. You've changed whether you think so or not. You aren't the same little boy who ignorantly belittled me in front of your peers." My jaw dropped and my heartbeat quickened ever further, she couldn't know. "You aren't the same coward who mindlessly joined Voldemort out of fear, and you certainly aren't _anything_ like your father." She paused. I was shell shocked yet again. I felt like I'd been hit with a stunning spell, I couldn't move, I couldn't think, I couldn't breathe.

"You can sit here and wallow in self pity all you want but I will not be a part of it because you are good!" She shouted, pointing at me. "I never asked you to be Ron, in fact that's the last thing I need. But just because you aren't him doesn't mean you aren't whole heartedly good. If you want to run from me and hide then fine, go ahead, but don't you dare blame it on me, because I know just exactly who you are. I don't understand why you can't just let everyone see the side of you that I get to see, that your Mum get's to see. Maybe you're afraid of people liking you Malfoy. Guess what, too late, your decency is too powerful to cover with sarcastic comments. I should know Draco, considering that I know you and I not only _like_ you but I've grown to care about you."

Then she was gone. She turned and stormed out, leaving me alone to let her words sink in over and over again.

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><p><strong>Okay so this chapter was by far the longest I've written. I planned on making it shorter but so much dialog kept coming to me and it needed to be said. I edited this at 1 in the morning, and I did so quite quickly, so there's bound to be some errors, I'm sorry about that. But I figured it was more important to get it up, I can't wait to hear what all of you think! The next chapter will be a nail biter too. Thanks so much for the reviews they've been great. Please read and review!<strong>

**-Onalee**


	10. Mortal Peril

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter nor his wizarding world, that's JKRowlings job. **

I woke up with a stiff neck. I yawned, feeling for once that I was finally rested enough to continue on with my day. I sat up slowly and looked around, taking in my surroundings. It took me a few moments to remember what I was doing in Harry's office, apparently asleep on his sofa all alone. I grimaced, the events of my day putting a damper on my well rested mood. I looked to the clock, I'd been gone for hours and it was getting dark. I let my face rest in my hands, not wanting to face reality. These last few days had been a living nightmare. I hadn't meant to tell Malfoy I knew it was him, but in my fit of rage it just came out, he could be so arrogant sometimes and it seemed like the only way to prove my point.

I felt awful for forcing him to attend the interrogation of his father. Not only did I receive no useful information whatsoever, but I spent two hours watching him out of the corner of my eye, seeing him writhe in agony. It killed me to watch him suffer at the hand of such a pathetic human being, and what infuriated me even more were Lucius' comments towards him. He had absolutely no right to belittle his son so passively, especially not after what he'd done himself. I couldn't decide what was more frustrating; the fact that I'd been the one to allow Lucius' comments, or the fact that Draco had half a mind to believe him. I rolled my eyes; Draco was entirely thick if he believed his father for even a moment.

I think it took the two contrasting Malfoys in the same room to confirm for me what I already knew. Draco could have easily become his father, but he didn't. I would hardly describe the youngest Malfoy as pure, but he'd done more than enough to redeem himself in my eyes. I'd complicated things so ridiculously the moment I went to the ministry in search of his identity. I didn't regret it, but I almost wished I could fast forward a few days, so I wouldn't have to deal with the aftermath of my argument with Draco.

I stood up, appreciating the stiffness in my limbs as I stretched. I'd spent the last few weeks wishing for something to happen, so I wouldn't be so stuck in the case. Now I was overwhelmed with the amount of work I knew I'd have to do. The developments in the case weighed heavily on my mind, however I was just slightly more concerned with how my work dynamic would change. I wondered if Draco would stop taking the polyjuice potion. Part of me desperately wanted him to, simply so I could explore my attraction to him further. Perhaps it would crush any hope of physical attraction and force me to move on, at least in that regard. The trouble was, I was too curious for my own good. I hardly remembered what Malfoy looked like. The last time I'd really taken a second glance at him was during the war. He was covered in dirt and looked positively ghastly, just as most of us did. I couldn't even begin to picture him in any other way. I'd never tried to imagine Draco before, probably because the thought alone was foul, but now I had a desire to really _see_ him.

I was worried that I would find him attractive, maybe even become infatuated with him. I was already beginning to care about him, and I was entirely attracted to the way he put his words together to eloquently. His intelligence was alluring because it challenged my own, drawing me closer to him in a strangely fascinating way. I was attracted to Draco, that I knew for sure, but really seeing him physically would tip the boat for me, it would let me know whether or not I could stand to be around him without getting completely distracted. I paced slowly around Harry's office, glad that he'd given me the password a few months back. Harry was never at work anymore, not with Ginny at home.

I exhaled sharply, preparing myself to go back home. I knew I'd have to face Draco and he'd likely be angry when I got there. I tried to anticipate his questions, but I wasn't entirely sure what he'd want to know, or how he'd approach the situation. One thing was for sure though; if he tried to avoid me again I would confront him. I couldn't stand the awkward silences and the strained conversation that stood between us when he was in a foul mood. If he wanted to avoid this, I would make it incredibly difficult for him to do so.

I decided against flooing back home, walking instead. It would take a lot longer, but I needed the air to clear my head. Somewhere deep down I definitely wanted to prolong my conversation with Malfoy as much as I possibly could. Confrontation was not my strongest suit. I didn't fear it, but I wasn't fond of the angry tears that prickled in my eyes when I got passionate about something. I would blame my womanly hormones for that.

I set a brisk pace down the street, glad that I'd been wearing my travelling cloak when we'd fought considering the bitter cold air. The wind seemed to sting my lungs, threatening to freeze me from the inside out. It was an enjoyable pain. It made me feel like my emotions were grounded, as though they were tangible. I let myself relax as I continued down the familiar path to my flat, allowing myself headspace to ponder my instincts on the attack.

I'd come to the conclusion that Rabastan had been waiting outside the burrow for a reason and it wasn't to attack. Whether or not he was seeking Draco was unclear, but I didn't think he'd gotten what he wanted. The way that Draco described the ambush on him was precise. Rabastan was confused briefly, which was why Draco had the opportunity to hex him in the first place. He was clearly expecting someone else, someone he would recognize. I mulled over that in my head some more, trying to grasp his reasoning. I cursed myself for wanting Draco's input, wondering when I had stopped being self-sufficient.

I let my thoughts consume me, becoming less and less aware of my surroundings as I continued toward my flat, lost in speculation.

_"Expelliarmus!"_ My wand flew from my fingers, where I'd been twisting it idly. I spun around, cursing myself for my lack of preparedness. I squinted into the darkness, trying to sense my opponent.

_"Stupefy!"_ Shouted a different voice. I ducked the curse narrowly, horrified to realize that I'd been ambushed. My heart hammered loud as I decided my course of action. I tried to apparate, but they'd casted an antiapparition spell, I was trapped.

_"Confringo!"_ I ducked and rolled, but the size of the explosion was too large. I toppled to the ground, pain shooting up my left leg and ribcage. I yelped in upon impact, but no noise came out, one of them had silenced me. Air began to drag through my lips faster. The throbbing in my leg wasn't helping my concentration.

"You blithering idiot!" Hissed one of the voices. "You can't just go casting a blasting curse without causing a ruckus!" He whispered violently.

_"Legilimens!"_ Hissed the same voice, his wand pointed down at me. I focused hard, thankful for the lessons in occlumency that Harry had given me a few years back.

"Move her over there; we can't just stand in the middle of the street!" The other voice growled.

"Who made you boss?" The other argued, but took hold of my right leg, gripping it with enough force to cut off my circulation. I wanted to scream out in searing pain as my limp and leg dragged across cement, contorted in an unnatural way. I tried to protest against his grip, but it only convulsed my body in further discomfort.

"I told you she'd be skilled in occulmency you oaf!" Hissed a voice. They were both in death eater masks, standing over me looking at each other, I tried to take the opportunity to move my arm in the right direction to accio my wand, but without even glancing at me he stepped on my fingers. I heard a snap before I felt it, my body writhing in agony beneath the two men.

_"Scorgify!"_ One man whispered, apparently cleaning evidence of my attack from the pavement. I felt grass beneath me and from what I could tell we were still in the same vicinity, perhaps hidden by brush. My body protested its position as I endured a fit of spasms. The death eater rolled his eyes at me as I fought tears.

_"Petrificus Totalus!"_ He mumbled lazily, the spell was weak, but effective. I couldn't move, I couldn't scream. I ignored the dull throbbing sensations of broken bones and tried to focus on their conversation. Their distraction was clear, they didn't have a plan and I would have to use that to my advantage. I could already feel the body binding curse slowly being lifted. I didn't move a muscle.

"Well how do _you_ think we should get it from her?" The taller death eater spat.

"Like this, _Crucio_!" My body felt as though it was being contorted in all angles, pain quivering through me, ricocheting to my core. I screamed out, apparently no longer being silenced.

"Who's the traitor selling us out mudblood!" He sneered down at me, "Give us his name and we won't make you suffer." He spat. I searched my brain for the briefest moment, deciding the best course of action. I gathered all the inner strength I had left and summoned my wand wordlessly in a split second. I stunned them both in their moment of confusion with a flick of my wrist. I glanced around, seeing that I was far enough away from the original attacking place to apparate. I knew it was risky in this condition, but I had no other choice. I focused all the energy that was slowly slipping me out of consciousness to focus on St. Mungo's letting the pinching in my stomach take me there.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

I sat in the dining room of the burrow giving in to exhaustion once again. It had been a long three days. The attack on the burrow was my fault and I knew it. Guilt weighed heavily on my conscious, even Harry had a hard time forgiving me for letting the aurors go. It wasn't like I wanted my family to be attacked, like that git Evan's tried to tell everyone. I was tired of Hermione and Harry hogging up the headlines with all their good deeds though, I wanted to at least prove that I could protect my own bloody family. I'd failed miserably at that too.

I'd failed at a lot of things recently and I was starting to regret my actions. It had been four years since the accident that changed my entire life and I really needed to stop letting it control me. I felt entirely left behind. I helped out George, running the shop, but other than that I hadn't made any advancements in my life. Ginny and Harry certainly seemed to rub it in my face, first with their marriage and now with the extension of our family. Subconsciously I supposed I'd always taken a bit of pleasure in the fact that Hermione's life was at a stand-still as well. For the last four years she'd buried herself in work. It was no secret that she had absolutely no prospective love life. I guess at some point, I expected us to work out, like we were supposed to.

I'd always love her, I mean she was Hermione, however I never really thought about seeing her with another guy until recently. I grimaced, Evans was bloody obnoxious. He was proper and uptight and downright rude sometimes, not to mention the fact that everyone seemed to overlook the small detail of him being a death eater. I gritted my teeth at the idea of Hermione being with someone like that. I thought back to Christmas, feeling stupid for letting the aurors go. Really I'd sabotaged myself. I wanted to talk to Hermione about her job and maybe even the possibility of us if she really wasn't seeing that Evans bloke. I didn't think that I would be affected by the pictures of the two of them in the prophet; unfortunately they made me blindingly jealous. In a way I felt like I deserved her way more than he did, considering the fact that I'd battled alongside her for so many years. He just waltzes in though, dark mark practically still burning, sweeping her off her feet, reprimanding me. It wasn't fair, though nothing seemed to be fair lately.

I glanced to the family clock. In the four years that I'd been alone it became a habit to watch the clock, it was almost comforting. My Mum took the liberty of adding Hermione and Harry to it right after the war and I was never more thankful for that than after we broke up. I used to sit at the table for hours, fighting the urge to owl Hermione, my curiosity nearly always getting the best of me. I'd watch the clock, seeing her move from work to travelling to home, over and over again. It gave me a small sense of comfort, knowing that she was safe and frankly that she wasn't out having any fun. I hardly ever watched it anymore, but tonight I was letting my jealousy get the best of me. She'd been travelling for a while, and I could only assume she was on a walk.

I sighed, retrieving something to eat before sitting back down. I needed to either get Hermione back or move on because this jealousy thing wasn't suiting for me. I was nearly positive she wouldn't fall for a bloody death eater, on the other hand she _always_ surprised me. I couldn't believe he'd actually accused me of purposely putting her in danger, if anything he should have been the one getting questioned. I frowned taking a large bite of whatever it was that mum had fixed when I noticed the movement of the clock once more. I sighed in relief as I watched the small picture of Hermione move towards the place marked home. I frowned again when I realized that Dominick would probably be there waiting for her. I cursed the ministry for that living situation. Certainly Kingsley could have thought of something that wasn't so fucking crude. I hardly had time to sulk when I watched her face move past home and settle on Mortal Peril.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

I still couldn't wrap my mind around the fact that Granger knew who I was. It didn't take me long to figure out just exactly when she'd found out either. I was sure she'd known before our visit with Lucius or she wouldn't have silenced him. She did it for my pride. As conflicted as my feelings were about _that_ particular instance, I focused on other things. Right after our fight I flooed to the ministry, using my standing as case manager to find out that she'd accessed the archives instead of seeing Weasley that night like she'd said.

As confusing, overwhelming and warranted all my feelings were, I wasn't surprised. I hadn't given her enough credit. Granger was a smart girl and she was not by any extension of the mind patient. I should have known that she would have taken matters into her own hands. I was almost surprised she hadn't done it sooner. As unscathed as I was by her snooping, I was confused by her reaction to my identity.

Learning my name only seemed to solidify her belief that I was in fact a decent human being. I wasn't sure if her judge of character pleased me or infuriated me. My feelings were entirely conflicted. I knew that I didn't deserve her, however I was selfish enough to overlook that if it meant that I could in fact have her.

This of course brought me to an entirely new set of issues. This new development only complicated my emotions towards her. Before I had absolutely no justifiable reason to pursue her, I hadn't even considered it as an option. Now I had to ask myself if things were any different, clearly she cared about me, if her words didn't say it her passion would have. Lurking in the dark, pining for her was simply not my style, Malfoy's got what they wanted. Before she was unattainable, this new information certainly changed things.

Part of me wanted to completely reject my thoughts and urges, but I couldn't find a reason to. Granger was annoying, obnoxious, persistent and she irritated me to no end, this hadn't changed, but in the same breath, I would have to live with her regardless of my attraction to her. It seemed like no matter what way I looked at the situation I was stuck with Granger, whether or not I was miserable however seemed to be within my control. I'd decided that I wanted her. I, Draco Malfoy wanted Hermione Granger. I shuddered at the thought, it felt wrong, but at the same time pleasing.

I had to question my own motives several times over. I wondered if my stress was impairing my judgment, if perhaps my dry spell had an effect on my feelings. I came to the decision after much contemplation that they only intensified my need for her. Granger herself had laid the foundation for the guilty attraction, had I not been raised to hate her, the idea of us would be even more alluring. I supposed I made up my own mind about whether or not I could even think to pursue her when I became aware that I too…cared about her.

I allowed myself a bit of relief by babbling at my mother, going through my own thoughts aloud over and over, censoring very little for her benefit. Of course she sat there somewhat contemplative, sipping on her tea, interjecting her thoughts every once in a while. I had half a mind to hope that my mother would forbade such thoughts of Granger, making my mind up for me, but she did no such thing. She didn't like the hold that the witch had over me, but neither did I. She made it perfectly clear that I was never to see Lucius again, no matter what the situation, but went on to encourage me to speak with Granger on these matters. Unfortunately every time Granger and I even began a somewhat _emotional_ discussion she ended up in tears, stomping away. I shuddered at the thought of even attempting to revisit these lustful thoughts, much less voicing them aloud to Granger herself.

I left my mother's after nightfall, wondering what waited for me at Granger's flat. I knew she would be angry, and she would certainly reprimand me for my comments after what I presumed was a long time spent thinking about them. She'd be sitting in the study, waiting to verbally assault me until I was at my breaking point again. I sighed, I was a nutter for even beginning to think that a relationship was a decent idea.

To my dismay I couldn't find Granger when I got back, she apparently wasn't home yet. I tried to keep myself calm, remembering the results of the last time I'd lashed out at her for being late. Unfortunately for me, it wasn't in my nature to just wait for something to happen. I tried my best to clear my mind, even relax a little, but it was short lived. I didn't wait long; once again I found myself owling Potter, demanding to know where Granger was. I'd just sent the parchment when a loud thud came from the fireplace.

"HERMIONE!" Ronald Weasley looked like complete shit. His eyes were buggering out of their sockets as he scrambled to his feet, continuing to holler for Granger, holding what appeared to be a large wall clock. He'd certainly gone off the deep end. I bit back a laugh at his disheveled appearance, too mentally exhausted to mock him properly.

"She's not here." I spat in his direction. He dropped the clock, letting it clatter to the floor as he drew his wand, pointing it at me. My stance was casual, despite his intended threatening posture. I smoothly took out my own wand, not bothering to point it at him.

"Where is she?" He growled, his skin tinting puce.

"I should be asking you the same thing; I haven't seen her in hours." I replied. Despite my attitude, the weight of my words had me questioning his panicked entrance. He seemed distraught for a moment, like he was deciding what to do next before he lunged for the clock again, staring at it with wide eyes. My heart began to palpitate unnaturally, worry getting the best of me.

"She's blood dying!" He shouted, thrusting the enchanted object at me. I could have wrapped my fingers around his throat contently with the proximity he had to my face, but I begrudgingly ignored my urges once more. I observed the peculiar clock, trying to understand its abilities. There were nearly a dozen hands on it, most of which pointed to a spot called "home". It didn't take me long to understand its purpose, it told Weasley where each of his family members were. I grimaced, momentarily displeased that Granger was on his clock, biting back a stalker remark when I realized what he'd told me. Just when I fixed my eyes on the tiny animated picture of Granger's face it started to move. My chest began to ache in anticipation as it settled on the mark called "Hospital".

"Bloody hell I knew I shouldn't have left her with you!" Ron shouted, but I ignored him completely, shoving him aside as I flooed. He nearly landed on top of me in the fireplace at St. Mungo's, but I couldn't have cared less, I was only focused on finding her.

"I'm looking for Hermione Granger." I demanded of the secretary. She dismissed me with a hand before speaking.

"She's with the healers, she only got here a minute ago, it'll be a while." She looked up at me giving me a strangely sympathetic look. I had no patience for her antics.

"What happened?" I seethed.

"I'm not able to give you that information sir." She responded dryly. With a flick of my wand I summoned my ministry parchments, declaring my position in the case. If she resisted me even a moment longer I would search her mind.

"It's urgent ministry business." I spat. She plucked the parchment from me, scrutinizing it briefly before complying.

"She apparated in a few minutes ago. It looked like she had a broken arm and leg, maybe a concussion. She splinched herself trying to get here, it was pretty severe." She spoke quietly. I felt bile rise in the back of my throat. She'd been attacked. My head was throbbing as I urged the woman in front of me to provide me with more information.

"You'll have to speak with her medi-witch, you'll find her on the sixth floor, those papers should get you access." She muttered. I wasted no further time with the secretary, sprinting up the staircase to the sixth floor. I was only faintly aware of the thudding footsteps that kept falling further and further behind me. I was thankful at this particular moment that Weasley was out of shape as I continued to the desk I was seeking.

"I need the information on Hermione Granger." I demanded, smacking the parchment on the healer's desk. She raised an eyebrow at me before proceeding.

"We don't know much." She started. "It appears that she was objected to the Cruciatus. She has several broken bones. She's got a mild concussion. Our main focus at the moment is to contain the damage of the splinching. She in that room over there, you can see her when they're finished."

I was barely aware of my body moving. I was infuriated at the thought that someone had placed her under an unforgivable. I wouldn't settle for anything less than seeing her at this moment. I needed to know that she was okay. The door to the ward wouldn't budge against me. I persisted with magical force, but it still wouldn't open.

"Fucking hell." I barked, throwing my foot against the wall in frustration. I had to get to her.

"We're almost finished Mr. Evans, please take a seat." A healer asked me, but I stood rooted to my spot, unable to move. I _would_ find the person that caused her this pain and make them suffer, there was no doubt about that. Even with my conviction in mind I couldn't ease my anxiety. She would be alright, I knew that, but it didn't make the wait any easier.

"Where the hell was she?" Weasley grumbled. "Why was she alone? Isn't the point of this case to keep her safe, sodding death eaters." He mumbled, almost talking to himself as he paced the small waiting room.

"It could be an hour before either of us can see her, make yourself useful and get Potter, I want him to find who did this, right now." I growled at him. Getting Weasley out of my face at this particular moment was important. I was sure Granger wouldn't be happy with me if she woke to find her sodding ex in the next ward.

"Why don't you go get him?" The belligerent Weasley snapped. I had half a mind to hex him and roll him to the nearest fireplace but I refrained.

"I can't get through his wards, I'm assuming you can. Stop being a self-righteous, ignorant idiot and get Potter!" I snarled. He stood there for a moment, trembling with anger obviously trying to retort back in some way.

"What the bloody hell is your problem Evans? Shouldn't you be the one chasing after the death eaters, isn't this your case? Leave Hermione to the people that actually care about her." He was breathing heavily, clearly still exhausted from running up the flights up stairs. I was so close to causing him physical pain that it was giving me a headache.

"Get Potter." I repeated through gritted teeth, hoping that for his sake he would comply.

"I'm only going because I know she'll want to see _us._" His words followed him to the fireplace, where I watched him engulf in green flames.

The tightening in my chest wouldn't subside as I waited. I had never considered myself to be a patient person, however this was certainly trying on my self control. The silence of the small room was mind numbing and heart wrenching. Knowing that Granger was just past the double doors gave me no comfort. My stomach twisted painfully in knots as I wiped cold sweat from my forehead. I couldn't think, I could barely breathe. The thought of losing Granger in any way suddenly seemed completely unbearable. She was one of two people in the world that knew me and _liked_ me. The weight of that thought was enough to infuriate me. I was angry at myself for allowing her long absence without so much as checking in on her. A twinge of guilt reminded me that I hardly deserved her if I couldn't even keep her safe.

As hard as I tried, I couldn't ignore the ruckus to my left where Potter and his wife stepped from the fireplace simultaneously, followed by a slew of other gingers. Potter approached me giving me a stern look.

"Something's gone awry with the aurors." He said without any amusement in his tone. Until that particular moment I had forgotten that it wasn't my sole responsibility to look out for Granger. The aurors should have been following her as well. Feeling that familiar urge to hurl my fist into Potters face I gritted my teeth.

"They didn't even get the signal that she left." He continued. I shook my head holding up my hand. The anger coursing through me had found a new target.

"I'm agitated enough Potter." I warned. "Find out what happened and come back to me with answers." I hissed.

"Sod off Evans, this is your fault too!" The barking voice of Weasley piped a few feet over. I couldn't control myself any longer, my wand found its way to his temple so quickly that I had barely registered I was moving.  
>"Weasley I've warned you for the last time—<p>

"Enough." Potter interjected, shoving his ginger sidekick to the left. I was nearly satisfied with the look of betrayal Weasley wore on his features when there was a small cough behind me. I spun around, facing the healer that had apparently just emerged from behind the double doors.

"She is asking for you Mr. Evans." I didn't bother understanding the muffled words of the woman I was passing to get to Granger's side. I heard the faint objections of Weasley behind me, but I completely blocked it out. Absolutely nothing other than Granger's well being was important to me at this moment.

Her bushy hair was tangled across the pillowcase. Her left hand lay across her flat stomach, her right arm tucked stiffly to her side. Her legs were both pointed perfectly straight and I wondered if magic was holding them in place. She looked so tiny laying here. I hadn't noticed how the exhaustion had paled her complexion, darkening the circles under her eyes. I cursed myself, feeling guilty for letting her over work herself to this point. Finally I looked at her expression.

She wore a small smile, her eyes staring intently into mine as though she'd been expecting me. I opened my mouth to speak, but I had absolutely nothing to say. I'd spent over thirty minutes in the hall, worrying about her and yet I didn't know how to possibly convey to her in that moment how I felt. It had been gut-wrenching waiting, wondering if she was alright. I was livid at the death eaters for going anywhere near her. I was angry with myself for not paying any attention to where she was going. I was irritated that bloody Weasley had been the one to tell me. Above all of my anger though, I was entirely relieved that she was with me in this room, her chest rising and falling with each slow breath.

"I was thinking…" Her voice was raspy, but hearing it soothed me even further. Just being in her presence calmed me. I stared at her intently, standing a few feet from her where I had entered the room, hanging on her words.

"Of course you were." I muttered, shaking my head. She ignored me.

"We should go on a date." She said perfectly seriously. I stared at her incredulously. This was close to the last thing I had expected her to say. I thought she would tell me to leave, maybe ask for Potter or Weasley. I expected that she would be tired and angry with me for the fight we'd had before she left. I was prepared to apologize to her. Leave it to Hermione Granger to once again leave me at a complete loss of words.

I didn't even begin to question her logic although I was almost entirely sure that she had a long speech about just exactly why we should go on a date and was ready to refute any objection I could make. The trouble was I didn't _want_ to say no. If this experience didn't spell out in big bold letters that I cared about Hermione Granger than absolutely nothing would. I was going to give in to her. I didn't care if I was being selfish. I didn't care that I probably didn't deserve her. If she wanted to go on a date with me, I would certainly not be the one to object.

I almost wondered if her concussion was affecting her mind, but decided better than to ask her. I was tired of sabotaging myself. The sincerity burning in her expression was enough to make up my mind. I tried to think of some way to express to her that I cared, that I was worried. I couldn't find the right words to tell her that I'd realized I definitely cared about her. I didn't know how to explain that even though she was the most irritating woman on the planet, she was fascinating. My pride wouldn't allow me to tell her that I cared about her, nor that I was attracted to her, even like this. Granger had a way of clouding my thoughts, and even though I was positive that would have to hear her riveting explanation of how she came to this conclusion either way, I hoped that my one word answer would appease her for the time being.

"Okay."

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**Hey everyone okay, so I think I may owe you all an explanation. First of all, Ron's POV will not be a regular thing. I added it in because I thought it helped show his perspective on the attack and his feelings and whatnot because despite what I've written so far this won't be an entirely Ron-bashing fic. Secondly: This is probably the mushiest you will EVER see Draco so don't get too used to it. I could have elaborated his thoughts so much more, which would have answered what I assume will be most of your questions, however he was thinking frantically so his thoughts and feelings will be explored and justified in later chapters.**

**Third: No Hermione has not gone insane, and there is actually a very logical explanation behind her proposal. I chose to end this chapter at this point because in order to understand where she's coming from you'll need to hear how she came to this conclusion from her POV, also I like to keep you all on your toes. **

**So I hope you all don't think this is too fluffy or frivolous, everything that happened will make sense and tie into the plot later. Your reviews have been wonderful they literally make my day! Please read and review, and keep in mind everything I just mentioned! I'll update soon.**

**-Onalee**


	11. Revelation

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry potter, nor his wizarding world. That's JKRowling's job.**

When I said it, the words felt foreign and odd on my tongue, as though it wasn't supposed to come out. However, moments ago I'd made up my mind and this was perfectly reasonable. I waited for his arguments, expecting him to laugh at me, or even lash out. It didn't matter, I was ready to refute anything he had to throw at me, and my reasoning was seamless.

"Okay." He said softly, quietly. I was completely taken aback with surprise and almost disappointed in his sudden submissive behavior. I was sure despite his cooperation he would still want to know how I came to such a seemingly ridiculous conclusion. In the midst of my surprise a huge sense of relief and even happiness unfolded inside me.

"Okay?" I asked. He nodded and shrugged.

"Okay." He confirmed. A smile was playing on my lips, but I restrained it as best I could.

"Well don't you want to know why?" I breathed, ignoring the uncomfortable numbness of my entire left side. He pulled a chair up, so he was just a few feet from the bed, almost within reaching distance.

"Go ahead then." He gestured, seemingly interested. I threw him a questioning look about his newfound behavior, but he ignored it. I made to fold my arms across my chest, but thought better of it, deciding that at least for now I shouldn't move.

"Well we spend so much time thinking about each other, arguing about feelings for one another that it gets in the way of work. So I decided that we needed a time and place to go discuss these...erm…feelings." It sounded less brilliant as I said it. When I'd first thought of the idea less than an hour ago it seemed so ingenious, now I felt like a 12 year old girl confessing a crush. I continued anyway, knowing that this still made perfect sense.

"Unless of course you have an objection to dating me Malfoy." I'd meant it to sound cheeky, but it came out timid and unsure. Just minutes ago I'd been so confident about this, but the more I got the idea out there the more ridiculous it sounded. Did I want to date Malfoy? Of course I did. In my mind this set up would allow me to date him, explore my feelings for him and patch up the fact that I'd gone looking for his identity behind his back. While I was being healed the fact that all I could think about was Draco sodding Malfoy was what brought me to this wonderful little revelation. I'd never even considered the fact that he might object, which should have been my first thought. I blamed it on the grogginess of my state. I studied his face carefully, desperate to understand the thoughts clearly zipping through his mind. Regardless we would have to have a conversation about what went on before this, so at least in one way I knew I was right.

"I clearly have no objection, Granger." He smirked at me, sending a slew of rather girly tingles to my stomach.

"Good, it's obviously what we need." I tried to assure myself and he chuckled. "What?" I huffed, embarrassed. I couldn't seem to wrap my mind around the fact that I'd just asked my childhood nemesis out to discuss our feelings. I assured myself silently that I was being rational.

"You just got attacked and then splinched yourself, and the first thing you want to talk about is going on a date?" He seemed more amused than anything. I'd decided that I wouldn't have asked him on this date if he weren't outside waiting for me when I was done being healed. I knew that if he'd rushed here instead of rushing to the scene of the crime, then _maybe_ I could assume that he cared for me too. It was no secret that Draco was anything but emotionally available, so no matter what an unfortunate situation this was, it might have been just exactly what he needed to make up his mind about me, and I wouldn't give him a chance to change it back again.

"I don't suppose there was a reason you were begging to come see me?" I smirked back. I'd read between the lines when the healer told me that my case partner was quite distraught. The smile faded from his face and he grimaced.

"Are you okay?" He asked, his tone becoming much more serious.

"I'm fine." I replied, the squeak in my voice doing nothing to convince him.

"What happened?" He asked. I tried to read his expression, but it was too guarded. He had put back on his professional face.

"I was attacked on my walk home." I began and already he was mumbling.

"Aren't you a witch? Apparition would have been better." He frowned irritable, crossing his arms. "Where were you anyway?"

"I went to the ministry, Harry has a nice comfy sofa in his office, I intended to do some thinking, trying to wrap my mind around _why_ you think you're not a good person." I started; he rolled his eyes, clearly not ready to have _that_ conversation with me yet. "But I fell asleep and took a rather lengthy and much needed nap instead." He raised an eyebrow at that.

"Then you decided to head out for a little stroll? Nothing wrong with that, it's not like there are at least six death eaters out there who've targeted you specifically." He sneered. I tried to convince myself that he was angry with the situation, not with me. It was the only way to protect me feelings from getting hurt. He wouldn't be so upset if he didn't care. At least that's what I had to tell myself.

"I was headed home and death eater disarmed me. Then he used a blasting curse which I think was what injured my leg." I said gesturing to my frozen in place extremity. He frowned, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose in what I assumed was an attempt to calm himself. It didn't seem to be working.

"Continue." He growled. I hesitantly obliged.

"I fell and then they dragged me away. There were two of them. They were bickering back and forth, it was ridiculous. They clearly had no plan. One of them tried to read my mind, but I used occlumency against him. Then they started bickering back and forth talking about how they would get the information from me…" I continued. His expression was already black, so I edited for his benefit. "They asked me for your name and I refused to give it to them, using their distraction to get my wand and I apparated to the hospital. Unfortunately I splinched myself, it isn't easy to apparate while injured." I tried, hoping I was convincing enough. I was sure he was angry, the last thing I needed was for the case to become even more personal for him. He sat there for a moment, absently staring down at his forearms.

"It's suicide to apparate while injured." He said blackly, not looking at me. "And if you insist on lying by omission, this isn't going to work Granger." My heart hammered against my sore ribs, they must have told him more than I'd thought.

"That all happened." I said rather quietly.

"You're forgetting the part where he tortured you." He spat, no longer hiding the anger in his expression as he met my eyes. "And I know that it wasn't just your leg that endured broken bones." He added.

"It's not like I really would like to talk about it Malfoy." I grumbled, wincing when I tried to cross my arms. He seemed to notice and his expression softened just a bit.

"I think you should give me the memory." He said slowly, like he hadn't thought it all the way through. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.

"If you give me the memory I can observe the death eaters, I might be able to identify them just by their voices. Besides it never hurts to have an objective point of view." He shrugged.

"I hardly think your point of view would be objective." I scoffed. Something about sharing my memories with him didn't feel right. Even the idea of it was far too intimate for me.

"When will we be going on this date then granger?" He asked, clearly trying to lighten the conversation. I half smiled at the mention of our impending plans.

"As soon as I'm out of here." I replied. "Which should be tomorrow." I added. My healing knowledge came into play as I calculated the amount of time my body would need to heal. It would take longer than two days, but I would have to cope at home.

"And what exactly, may I ask, do you have in mind for discussion?" He questioned casually. I realized that I'd been vague; I wanted to discuss our…feelings for each other, whatever they may be.

"Well, erm, I wanted to talk about the fact that I care for you and such…" I muttered, color flooding to my cheeks.

"And the fact that the feeling is mutual I presume." He added quietly, not meeting my gaze. Warmth spread in my chest like wildfire. The knot in my stomach squirmed with pleasure. He cared about me, and I'd gotten him to admit it. I didn't even have to try to get him to admit it, he just did. My heart surged with overwhelming happiness. I never thought that Malfoy would control this much of my emotional range.

"Really?" I squeaked, sounding even more surprised than I intended. He put on a small smile, finally meeting my eyes.

"If me, running to your side in the hospital doesn't prove something to you than I don't think anything will. I'm not as sentimental as I look, Granger." He added seriously. I couldn't wipe the genuine grin off my face. His reciprocated feelings put me at a serene ease, and yet had my hormones setting themselves on fire at the same time.

"Speaking of sentimental, there happens to be a large flock of redheads just outside." He gestured towards the door and my heart sank just a tiny bit. He must have noticed it. "I'll gladly tell them to go home if you prefer." He snickered. I weakly hit him in the arm, noting the jolt of pain forced through my body upon impact. He noticed too, gingerly placing his cool hand on top of mine. I prayed he couldn't feel my heart beat.

"I don't really want you to leave." I said unsure of whether or not he wanted to stay. He looked thoughtful as he slowly took his hand off mine. I frowned at the loss of contact.

"Why don't you give me the memory, and I'll take a gander at it, see if I can identify them." He started. I definitely did not want him to see my memory. "In the meantime I'll let the Weasley-Potter clan visit and I'll come back in less than an hour." He replied smoothly. I thought about that proposal, noticing the time.

"Honestly, I can't see the rest of them tonight. They're going to ask far too many questions and I'm too tired." I said, feeling guilty about sending the Weasley's home. The truth was I couldn't focus on much besides my newfound feelings for Malfoy, and I hardly wanted any of them to spoil it by discussing how I need to be more careful. I would deal with them tomorrow.

"I'll let them know." He snickered, taking far too much enjoyment in my confession. I scowled. "I'll need that memory now." He added seriously.

I decided my best course of action wasn't to fight him on this, my body was too tired for that. But I questioned whether or not he could return after seeing it.

"You promise you'll come back?" I questioned, my wand resting against my temple. He nodded, holding my gaze. After a moment I decided I believed him, and concentrated hard on the most recent unpleasant encounter I had, trying not to relive it as I pulled the small silvery memory from my mind. He rummaged around in his cloak for a moment before holding out a glass container to me.

"Thank you." He said sternly, capping the vile and tucking it away in his cloak. "I'll be back soon." He muttered and he walked out the door.

Leaving me to my thoughts was generally not the best idea. I usually overanalyzed until I blew everything out of proportion, which I didn't want to do in this moment. I decided that I shouldn't continue to think about the fact that I'd just asked out Draco Malfoy and just accept it. I let my decision fall to three important factors. One, I had feelings for Draco and I was almost sure he reciprocated them at least somewhat. Two, if we didn't explore those feelings together it would get in the way of work and if we resolved them we would work better and finally solve this case. Three: I spent the last four years of my life trying to make someone else happy. It didn't work. If Draco made me happy then I could care less about his past because I deserved to be happy.

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I didn't sleep at all. When I opened my eyes it was quite clear by my exhaustion that I had only closed them briefly. My instincts told me once again to rip away the hand that was intertwined with Granger's. This was possibly the most uncomfortable position I'd ever spent a night in. I sat upright in the chair, a few feet from Granger's bed, my arm outstretched to her. Every part of me was as far away from her as possible, expect of course my hand. I regretted reaching out to comfort her in the middle of the night, when I started to notice the familiar signs of a nightmare, starring the dark lord's finest.

She immediately wrapped her fingers around mine, and I begrudgingly saw the evidence that just hours ago they'd been shattered underneath Rabastan's foot. I gritted my teeth, trying not to recall her memory once again. It took me hours afterward to even begin forgetting about how cruelly they treated her. I didn't expect anything less of them, but it didn't make it any easier to block out. Rabastan and Rodolphus Lestrange were sick human beings. Of course any person had to be mentally unstable to marry Bellatrix. In a sense it didn't surprise me when I immediately identified them in Granger's memory. They were 2 of the most well known missing death eaters and they'd been at the top of my suspect list from the beginning. Finding out that they wanted my identity wasn't surprising either, in fact I kicked myself for not seeing it sooner.

I shook the thoughts of the case from my head once again, focusing instead on Granger. Watching her sleep was unnerving. When I'd walked in hours ago she was completely unconscious and I considered going back to her flat, but figured that if she woke up and I wasn't there she would send for me anyway. I saved myself the trouble and pulled up a chair. At first I didn't pay too much attention to her, at least I tried not to. It was quite mind blowing to think that she'd asked me on a date, of course she was an emotional creature and if anything was going to nudge her in that direction it would be a near death experience.

I suppose I used the fact that she wanted to date me as mental permission to let myself finally just look at her. It certainly helped that she was asleep; I couldn't imagine her goading if she caught me staring. The truth was I'd noticed her from day one. She was clearly not the little girl with the nest for hair that entered Hogwarts, and she wasn't the teenager covered in blood and dirt fighting off Voldemort either. Her hair was hardly tamed, but it seemed less stiff now, more touchable. Her frizzy waves had taken a softer curlier attributes, it was still messy, but in a sort of intentional way.

It wasn't difficult to comprehend the feminine figure that she'd acquired over the years either. Though she never wore anything to accentuate her attributes, she didn't always wear heavy cloaks or baggy sweaters. Every once in a while she would put on a form fitting t-shirt, or a pair of trousers that hugged her in all the right places. I averted my eyes any time I was around her; I didn't need another reason to find her enticing. But now, sitting here with her while she was asleep, I felt like it wasn't such a sin to let my eyes linger over her.

Her long eyelashes kissed the tops of her cheeks, which were tinted just the lightest shade of pink. Her nose was small and feminine, complimenting her full lips, slightly parted in her slumber. I'd decided she was more than just attractive. She was pretty in a way that I was not used to. She hardly ever wore make-up and she was still fascinatingly enough…beautiful. I tried not to linger on the thin white sheet, covering each slow rise and fall of her chest. I couldn't help but notice the slope of her breasts, complimenting the flat plateau of her torso. I couldn't find anything to dislike about her, she was entirely aesthetically pleasing. I fought of thoughts of her lips breathing against my own, knowing that I'd have to take a cold shower if I couldn't get it under control. I groaned inwardly, realizing that dating Granger was probably going to prolong my dry spell, not that it mattered, I didn't have any interest in disposable witches anyway.

"Malfoy?" Her eyes fluttered open in the early hours of the morning. My stomach twisted at the feminine groggy tone of her voice, saying my name.

"Morning Granger." I greeted, and withdrew my hand when she stretched.

"Did you sleep in that awful chair?" She asked incredulously.

"I'd hardly call it sleeping." I grumbled, stretching as well.

"Well aren't you a wizard? Conjuring something more comfy shouldn't have been too difficult." She taunted. I decided then that I liked her better when she was sleeping.

"My mind was a bit preoccupied, I'm sure you understand." I said a little too defensively. She quieted at that.

"Any luck with identifying them?" She asked. I nodded solemnly, trying to keep my anger contained.

"Rabastan and Rudolphus, not a doubt in my mind." I muttered.

"Really?" She said without any hint of surprise in her tone. "Well at least we know some of what we're dealing with." She muttered. "We need to figure out how to better protect the Weasleys." She spoke absently, not looking at me. I nearly laughed at her conclusion.

"Weren't you the one just attacked?" I countered.

"Yeah but if we're dealing with people who were close to Bellatrix it's likely they'll want revenge." I shuddered at the mention of my late aunt, annoyed that I hadn't drawn that conclusion myself. I nodded.

"The aurors aren't doing their job." I said sternly, growing angrier with the situation by the second. If we didn't have aurors for protection then we were all on our own. Although Granger and I could take on any death eater based on skill alone, they would outnumber us.

"I noticed." She remarked. "I'll bet anything Harry's concerned enough about that for the both of us though, so let's not waste our time doing his job." She sighed, muttering an incantation at her legs.

"What are you doing?" Momentary panic ensued when she swung her legs over the side of the bed in an attempt to stand.

"Relax." She scoffed. "I know what I'm doing, I'm a healer. Besides, those bones will have been healed hours ago. I grimaced at her higher knowledge on the subject and begrudgingly sat back down.

"It's not so much the bones I'm worried about. The cruciatus curse doesn't bide well with anyone." I muttered, trying not to let the weight of my words dampen my mood further.

"It's more psychological than anything. The physical effects have likely taken their toll and subsided." She said quietly.

"Miss Granger, I should have known to use a body bind curse to get you to stay still." A short and stout woman briskly entered the room, wasting no time with pleasantries before bidding Hermione not to move as she poked and prodded her.

"You know me too well." Granger giggled. My stomach tightened at the sound. I was anxious as the healer continued to silently observe Granger, appraising her condition.

"I don't suppose you'll want to stay any longer? Even though I'm sure you know I'd like to keep you over night once more." The small witch chimed.

"I'll floo right over if need be." Granger said passively. I opened my mouth with half a mind to argue that she stay, but thought better of it. She was far too stubborn to listen to anything I had to say anyway.

"If you sign here and here I'll have you checked out." The healer continued, summoning parchment and a quill. Hermione happily obliged. "Alright, here are your robes, you can get dressed and be on your way." The healer said cheerfully. I took her flush of embarrassment as my cue.

"I'll be outside." I muttered, making my way to the waiting room, where unfortunately I met the very last ginger I ever wanted to see.

"Bit early for you to be here, don't you think?" Ron stammered, clearly not expecting to see me at this hour. I smirked, at the very least, dating Granger would give me the upper hand on annoying the bullocks off Weasley.

"I spent the night." His face flooded red, he was treacherous at hiding his emotions. I didn't bother concealing my amusement. "She's being released now, if you'd care to wait for her." I snickered.

"I'll do just than then." He grumbled, purposely taking the seat closest to the door. I bit back a laugh; this might be even more fun than I'd first thought. Hermione walked through the double doors with gusto, trying a bit too hard to appear unaffected by her injuries.

"Hermione, how are you?" Weasley nearly threw himself at her, and she jumped.

"Oh Ron, I'm better, much better." She paused, clearly unsure how to proceed. I leaned against the wall, content to watch the awkward exchange.

"Good, I was really worried." He said. The way he was looking at her was distasteful, as though he could stare at her for hours. I frowned.

"Thanks for coming, it means a lot to me." She said genuinely. I frowned deeper. "But I'm so tired, I didn't get a wink of sleep." She lied. His face fell notably.

"Yeah, okay. Erm, listen Hermione. I really want to talk, the two of us, soon." He blithered on. I scowled, he picked a very inopportune moment to ask her out.

"You know what, owl me, we'll figure something out." She said. I tensed, unhappy with the agreement. Weasley threw his arms around her rather lazily in what I assumed was supposed to be an embrace. She returned it lightly, giving him a weak smile that had me biting back another fit of laughter. She turned to me, and I gladly placed my hand at the small of her back, not missing the agitation it caused Weasley as I lead us to the fireplaces.

Upon entering her flat I felt like collapsing. The long chain of events that had occurred over the past week were causing my body to shut down with exhaustion. To my dismay Granger noticed.

"Go to bed Malfoy." She said softly, taking off her traveling cloak and tossing it aside casually.

"We have too much to discuss." I sighed, rubbing my eyes.

"We a lot of time for that believe it or not. Besides, you won't be any challenge to argue with if you're falling asleep." She teased, throwing me a smile. She was right, I really did need to sleep. I felt uncomfortable as I stood there. There was something unsettling about falling asleep after the attacks.

"I'm going to read over some of the new case reports in the study." I decided, knowing that nothing would put me to sleep faster, besides the armchair in there was the comfiest piece of furniture in the flat. She nodded, accepting my stubbornness. I headed down the hall to my room, nearly forgetting I'd almost missed taking my potion.

"Where are you going?" She asked suddenly. I glanced back, annoyed.

"Is you must know, I'm taking my potion. Would you care to walk me there?" I said too harshly.

"I hardly think you should waste that." She shrugged.

"What?" I asked, confusion clear in my tone.

"I just don't think it's necessary, I already know who you are." She shrugged again, idly playing with the hem of her blouse. I thought about it for a moment, deciding that this was inevitable. I shook my head though, this would be too much for her so soon.

"We should try taking it one step at a time." I said slowly, tension filling the air between us.

"I think step one is me actually seeing you." She countered, taking a step towards me. I hesitated, unsure. I wanted to prolong her delusional desires to date me as long as possible and seeing who I really was would probably ruin that. It wouldn't be hard for her to compare me to my father, the man who tried to kill her several times. It would be even easier for her to remember just how much of an arse I was to her for half her life. I started to shake my head again.

"Please Draco." She whispered. Her voice sent chills down my neck. The way she said my name was so…

"I just want to really _see_ you." She emphasized. It was hard for me to think clearly when she was busy persuading me in that way. I cleared my throat, deciding that I might as well get it all over with. If she was going to start hating me again, now was as good a time as ever.

"You asked for it Granger, remember that." I threatened, waiting for her to protest, but she just smiled silently. It was hard to be angry at her, when she was beaming at me in that manner. I took a deep, reassuring breath as I felt the familiar sensation of transformation beginning underneath my skin. I rooted myself to my spot, wanting desperately to run back to my room and hide away from the person I hated to be. She stood there expectantly, perfectly content to watch my features morph and change. She even looked a bit fascinated by the phenomenon. I nearly lost myself in her changing expressions when my features settled into place, I was me. I waited for her cringe, even for her scream, but it never came.

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**Hey guys! **

**I hope you liked the chapter, I had a really hard time with it, I kept wanting to skip ahead to more exciting things so I hope it turned out okay. My editing might be a little rough, it was done in the wee hours of the morning. I apologize in advance for any mistakes. Interesting things are to come. Thanks for sticking with me, and THANK YOU to my reviewers you guys are incredible. It makes my day whenever I get a review. Thanks for reading, pleaseee review, it always makes me update faster.**

**-Onalee**


	12. The Date

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Harry Potter, nor his wizarding world, that's JKRowlings job. **

I watched with fascination as his body took on a new form. He shot up at least 3 inches, his skin paling and his face thinning. His features became so defined, as though he was being chiseled down. His hair filled out, bleaching to the pale blonde I'd recognize anywhere. I tried not to stare at his newly toned body, even underneath the slightly baggy trousers and button down he was wearing it was obvious that he was more in shape than his alias. I was very aware of his unchanged deep grey eyes searching my face for horror or recollection of previous years.

He was still Malfoy of course, but I suddenly understood the appeal he'd had on the majority of girls back in Hogwarts. He was really quite striking in a dark and almost mysterious way. I blushed when I realized I'd been staring and took in his expression. He was frowning, apparently unhappy with the decision he'd made to not take his potion.

"Blonde suits you better." I groaned inwardly at my comment, I could have said _anything_ and it probably would have sounded less ridiculous than that. Regardless, a faint smile graced his newly formed features. He didn't waste another moment summoning the parchments he would be looking over and I followed his lead silently into the study.

"You're sure you wouldn't rather just sleep?" I fell into the sofa, letting its cushions envelope my sore body.

"Trust me Granger, if I was going to sleep it would be here anyway. Your furniture may not be…aesthetically appealing, but it's quite comfortable. But of course you know that, you practically sleep in here yourself." He spoke casually, letting himself relax into the oversized armchair. He was right, I didn't pay too much attention to my home décor, but I was adamant about the furniture that would be in this particular room. I worked much better when I was relaxed.

A comfortable silence fell upon us within just a few minutes, and I found myself scrutinizing the detailed case report that Harry had filed the night before. The part I found myself most concerned with was without question the lack of aurors. I was sure Harry was just as stressed but it posed a huge problem. Without the aurors, the death eaters could considerably outnumber any of the targets at one time. I needed to find out exactly what their goal was so I could properly stop them from achieving it. I put down the parchments, beginning to get another headache. I glanced to Malfoy, who'd dropped his parchments also, fast asleep.

I could help but smile at the sight of him. He looked so relaxed. It was nice to see him without a frown for once. I resisted the urge to reach out and trace the lines of his face. I wanted even more to unbutton his shirt and observe the pale, toned planes of him. I shook it from my mind, feeling like a hormone enraged teenager. I stood up, stretching all the places that had undergone the most damage the night before and sighed. I stole another glance at him, and realizing that I would never focus with him so peacefully asleep in the study, I headed for my shower.

My shower had been a sanctuary for as long as I could remember. Most people found an escape in sleep which I envied. The war was bound to give anyone nightmares, especially someone as heavily involved as me. I shuddered as I stepped into the scalding water, remembering that Ron used to rub my back at night until the bad dreams subsided. Normally that kind of thought would have brought me to tears, fortunately today I was feeling resilient.

My mind wandered to my conversation with Ron this morning. He looked so concerned about me, and yet so happy to see me. I'd waited for him to want to talk about us for four years, and he picked the worst time in my life. I was finally starting to move on, to get over him. It was probably just that which made Ron finally take some initiative. He was constantly fueled by his unpleasant emotions, mainly his jealousy. I tried not to think about the fact that eventually Ron would find out that it had been Malfoy staying with me, surely he'd throw a fit.

I spent a long time in the shower, it could have been hours. There was something incredibly relaxing about being bare in the water, letting it engulf my senses. By the time I stepped out the air rushed around me icily, freezing me nearly to my core. I dressed myself quickly, not paying any attention to the muggle attire I generally wore. I paused for a moment looking in the mirror. I didn't look bad, but I certainly didn't look my best. I couldn't remember the last time I'd spent more than ten minutes fussing with the way I looked. My appearance had taken a back seat to my career. I blushed momentarily, thinking about the impeccable wardrobe choices Draco always made. I'd never taken a notice to what he wore, but come to think of it he never had a hair out of place.

I began chewing on my lip nervously, I _did_ have a date with him tonight, and with him looking so…perfect it was hard not to want to change. I stalked over to my closet, and peered inside at things I hadn't wore since I'd been with Ron. I kept my comfiest jeans and t-shirts in my drawers, I always looked half decent in them, but something told me that Malfoy wasn't after a girl who looked just half decent. Besides if I was going to be out with him, I wanted to look at least at the same level he did.

"Shit." I whispered to myself, thumbing through dresses, slacks and skirts. The frilled, gauze materials all seemed to foreign to me. To be fair I'd had a lot of help from Ginny back then. I knew how to dress well, and so did she, we helped each other more than anything. We reassured each other on our fashion sense. I'd lost mine altogether, I couldn't even remember what went with what. I tip toed my way over to the study and glanced inside, Malfoy was still sleeping. I assumed he'd remain asleep for quite a while, neither of us had slept in ages before last night. I cast a quick silencing spell around the room before shutting the door to the study. I wasted no time getting to my fireplace sticking my face in it, hoping to catch the attention of Ginny Potter.

"Jeeze Hermione!" Harry jumped, clearly not expecting me. "Shouldn't you be asleep or still in the hospital or something?" He groaned, his expression spelled out exhaustion.

"I should ask you the same thing, you need some sleep." I offered, but I knew it wouldn't faze him in the slightest, if Harry had a job to do, it would get done.

"How are you doing?" He asked more sympathetically.

"Better, a lot better. Actually I was wondering if Ginny was here." His eyebrows shot up in surprise. "It's not about the case, its erm…more personal." I added.

"Oh…" He trailed off, clearly looking uncomfortable. "Well erm, good for you, you know if you're thinking about Evans or something. He's a real nice bloke." He stuttered awkwardly. I blushed. "Ginny?" He called down the hallway.

"What?" She asked skeptically, waddling her way over to the fireplace. "Oh hullo Hermione!" She grinned. "How are you?"

"Much better thanks. I was actually in need of your assistance." I tried, Harry shot me a look.

"We'll only be an hour Harry, at my flat." I assured him.

"Splendid, let me grab my cloak." Ginny grinned, clearly excited about getting out of the house. With a wave I took my face from the fireplace, giving them a moment of privacy to say goodbye. Ginny was in my flat within a minute, throwing her arms around me with an embrace.

"I thought we'd never get to have any fun again!" She exclaimed, nearly getting emotional.

"I'm sorry Gin, I know I've been…busy." I sighed.

"More like you've been an introvert for the past few years, I've missed spending time together." She frowned.

"Me too, I really have."

"Well what's the occasion then, I suppose you need my help for a reason." She beamed. I laughed and led her to my room, closing the door.

"I have a date." I grinned, remembering old times when we used to fuss over things like this.

"Blimey Hermione it's about bloody time!" She laughed, sitting down on my bed. "So it's true, you and Evans right?" I shifted back and forth nervously, not entirely sure how to answer that.

"Well, erm. I don't know. This is our first date and um, we're planning on talking about working together and dating and stuff." I was mumbling, feeling uncomfortable with the situation.

"Where are you going?" She asked seriously, getting up to observe my closet.

"I have no idea." I hadn't thought about where we'd be going until that very moment. "Probably somewhere muggle." I decided, my stomach twisting at the thought of the daily prophet catching Malfoy and I together.

"Wait, you know who he is, don't you?" She whispered, spinning to look at me. Her intuition was unnerving and slightly irritating.

"I do, I went and found out." I gulped, knowing that I couldn't let her in on the secret.

"Who?" She whispered, her gossipy side getting the best of her.

"Ginny, I can't." I tried, knowing she wasn't going to give up that easily.

"Oh please Hermione, I won't tell Harry, I swear." She begged. I knew she was being honest, but it was just too much of a shock.

"Listen, if this goes well, then I'll you, but I just can't tonight, alright?" Her face fell, but she seemed to accept the terms.

"Fine, but I want full details!" She sulked. "And I will make you look so good that it will go well tonight no matter what." She decided, continuing to throw various clothing articles onto the bed. I smiled, relishing in moment. I'd almost forgotten what it was like to have Ginny as a friend.

An hour later she stood across from me, deciding she had done her job. She spent quite a while curling my hair, and to me it looked very nearly the same, but she said it'd made a huge difference. I'd had to ask her to tone down my look several times, insisting that I had to appear to be the same person at the very least. Finally we settled on a blue fitted cashmere sweater paired with a knee length charcoal pencil skirt and a pair of non-descript flats.

"You're sure it's not too…something?" I asked again. She shook her head.

"You look lovely, you'd look even better if you let me put a dash of mascara on, but none the less, you're beautiful." She assured me, giving me another hug. I felt the bump between us, and smiled. Sometimes it was still hard for me to believe that Harry and Ginny were actually having a baby.

"You owl me when it's over and tell me everything." She insisted, following me back to the fireplace. I nodded.

"Thanks Ginny, I appreciate this. I've missed you." I smiled. She returned the gesture and with an understanding look, she stepped into the fireplace, disappearing into the green embers once again.

"Was that the Weasel-Potter hybrid?" I spun around to see Malfoy casually leaning against the doorframe, a smile playing on his lips. He too had changed into a snugly fitted grey button down and a pair of proper sized trousers. I tried not to stare, horrified about the amount that he might have heard.

"Erm, yeah, it was Ginny." I answered, caught off guard.

"You look nice. Planning on going somewhere?" His eyes lingered over my outfit, and I couldn't help but blush.

"I happen to have a date." I was trying to tease him, but once again it came out very timid. He flashed a genuine smile at me that melted my insides.

"Ah, me too."

.

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I kept forgetting that I hadn't taken the poly juice potion, which was making me unnaturally jumpy. Just before we'd left her flat, Granger had used a less invasive set of enchantments to charm my face into looking different to everyone except the two of us. I couldn't enjoy myself on the long walk to the muggle restaurant; I was on high alert instead. I wouldn't take any chances on the death eaters, especially if their short term goal was to learn my identity.

Granger was entirely distracting. From the moment I'd woken up and spotted her, I knew I'd yet again underestimated her. She looked stunning and I knew it wasn't just a coincidence. It didn't take a genius to figure out exactly why she'd had Potter's pregnant wife over. She'd always been attractive, I knew that, however when she was _trying_ she was a force to be reckoned with.

"I was under the impression you wanted to discuss some things." I began after the first five minutes of silently perusing over the menu at the muggle restaurant she'd chosen.

"Well um, yeah. I wanted to talk about how we feel about each other I guess." I observed the blood rise to her cheeks and muffled a chuckle.

"Alright, go ahead, tell me how you feel." I snickered; I found her mild discomfort rather amusing. She cleared her throat, sweeping a loose curl behind her ear.

"I don't think you're a bad person, clearly I know who you are and what you've done, and I still care for you." She spoke quickly and quietly. I tried not to grimace when she mentioned what I'd done. I managed to keep it together long enough to reciprocate.

"I think you can be irritating, stubborn and impatient." She crossed her arms in annoyance, but I continued. "However, your intelligence and attractive qualities outweighs your short comings." I teased, throwing her a small smile. She grinned in response, unfolding her arms and becoming more serious.

"So, you think I'm attractive?" She asked in a very small voice. I looked up at her, biting her lip, hanging on what would be my next word. She was more than attractive, it was hard enough for me to admit that.

"I said so didn't I? You've yet to asses my physical qualities, Granger." I noted. She blushed again, folding her hands in her lap.

"The attraction is mutual then." She muttered. I could barely conceal my happiness at the returned feelings, I'd been worried that she wouldn't be able to accept me. I wasn't foolish, I knew that I was attractive enough on paper, however Granger _had_ dated the Weasley oaf for years, so I did have to question her taste.

"So do we ignore it, or pursue it?" I tensed when she asked the question. I hadn't even realized that she considered ignoring our attraction. I'd blindly accepted us dating.

"I hardly want to make solving this case any more difficult by attempting to ignore our mutual attraction. It seems pointless, does it not?" I asked, fighting to keep my voice low and somewhat persuasive, without appearing to be trying at all.

"I agree. Then we'd be dating, right?" She asked, I could tell she was nervous. She liked the idea of us dating more than she wanted to let on. I felt entirely smug as I leaned back in my chair, deciding to attempt to keep eye contact with her.

"That's what people generally call it." I said. She nodded her head for a moment, thinking before meeting my eyes.

"So we'll have to figure that out then won't we?" I hesitated before answering her, she really hadn't been out in a while. She was possibly the worst flirter I'd ever encountered in my life, but something about that was oddly endearing.

"What exactly is there to figure out Granger? We go on dates, talk, at least attempt to enjoy each other's company." The more I said it out loud, the more ridiculous it sounded.

"Then I suppose I can ask you questions now, without you snapping at me?" She mused, smiling up at me.

"I can't promise you there won't be snapping." I replied smoothly, taking a sip of my water.

"Have you dated since the war?" It one of the few questions I had not been expecting. I cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Much like you, I've been rather consumed in my work since the war…" I began, struggling to keep my answer honest. I didn't do much dating, however up until a year ago I had done my share of sleeping around. "I didn't have time for dating really, nor the energy. But I had a bit of fun here and there." That was about as honest as I was going to get about that. If Granger knew just how many women I'd used she would certainly hex me. She nodded slowly, understanding starting to creep in. I decided to cut off her thoughts with a question of my own.

"If we're…dating, I want it to be exclusive. I've never been one to share." I seethed, thinking about the way Weasley had mentally undressed her this morning. She scrutinized my expression, surprised by my request.

"I hardly think you'll have to worry about that." She snorted. I nearly laughed at her innocence, either she was completely oblivious to the fact that Weasley was dying to have her back, or she didn't think she was attractive enough to be ogled.

"I just wanted to make myself clear; I'd prefer that Weasley kept his hands and eyes for that matter, to himself." I grimaced. She was surprised yet again by my confession.

"Ron? You're worried about Ron? We broke up four years ago." She was serious, but I rolled my eyes, trying to be sensitive while I spoke.

"From the looks of it you could have broken up four days ago and it wouldn't have mattered. You're clearly affected by everything he does and says. It doesn't matter to me, I'll have you forgetting about him in no time. However, I won't have you running off on little dates with him, it's quite clear to me that he's adamant on getting you back." I shrugged. Her eyes widened, first with what seemed like hurt and then suspicion.

"I don't think Ron wants to get back together, I mean he's had four years to make _that_ move and he hasn't so much as spoken two words to me in that time." She muttered. Weasley was a complete idiot for letting Hermione go, I knew that, and my unease came from the fact that I was sure he was starting to realize it too.

"He wants what he can't have. He probably senses that you're becoming unavailable." I shrugged. "Besides, I told you how I knew where to find you last night. That bloody Weasley spend his time watching you on that ruddy clock of his, nothing says obsession quite like that." I sneered, thinking of how lovely it would be to just blind Weasley and be done with him. To my surprise, she let out a small feminine laugh.

"Well as long as we're making requests, I have a few."

"Of course you do." I muttered, taking a bite of our newly arrived meals.

"I would prefer you not use the potion unless absolutely necessary." She stated. I couldn't help but feel prideful at that request. I didn't need reassurance that Hermione was fond of my appearance, but it gave me a smug feeling.

"I think I can manage that." I nodded. She smiled, apparently pleased with my answer.

"I would also really appreciate it, if you continued to be at least, tolerant of Harry and Ron." I frowned heavily, I had expected that, however it didn't make it any easier to swallow. Even though I had at least a fraction of respect towards Potter for the way he did his job I still thought the two of them were insufferable.

"I mean Harry likes you, he approves of me dating you even." She pleaded, sensing my annoyance. I smirked at her confession.

"So you've told him we're dating already? A bit cocky Granger, don't you think?" I teased. She scoffed, crossing her arms again. "I can't make you any promises, but I'll tone down the malice if it means that much to you." I amended, having no intention of being anything less than rude to Weasley. If he insisted on having Granger, I would insist on making his life miserable.

"Thank you." She replied sincerely, reaching out to place her hand over mine. We both looked down at our intertwined fingers for a moment, and I was mesmerized by how well such contrasting things fit together. Before I had a chance to explore that notion any further, she pulled back, continuing with her meal.

"I suppose we'll take the rest as it comes then." I mumbled, thinking about the impending conversation I would have in therapy. I fought the urge to roll my eyes, thinking about what my therapist would have to say about this change in events, she would probably be thrilled actually.

"So your mother lives at Malfoy Manor then?" She questioned. I nodded, wondering why she cared where my mother lived. It was one of the things I was more defensive about in my life.

"Yes, she has since the war. It's been severely remodeled though. You would only recognize it from the outside, if that."

"Interesting. I take there aren't any dungeons anymore then?" She smirked, but I found that anything but funny.

"Of course not." I replied coldly. I shook off the feeling of my past creeping up on me and tried to at least be present in the conversation.

"What about your parents? I never hear you talking to them." I silently hoped that her parents were still living, of course I thought for sure I would have heard about it in the prophet if they'd been a casualty of the war. She got very quiet and began stirring her food unnecessarily.

"I obliviated my parents before the war, and afterwards I had trouble reversing the spell." She began, her expression solemn. Instinctively, I grabbed her hand under the table. She looked up giving me a half smile before continuing.

"It's hard to see them now. I explained it all to them, but they don't really understand. It's easier to have them on the outskirts of my life, and know that they love me, than suffer by watching them struggle to remember me." Her eyes glazed over with tears, but they didn't fall, she refused to let them.

"That's unfortunate." I replied, trying to sound as compassionate as possible. Unfortunately empathy was not in my nature.

"It's alright, it's much better to know they're happy." She replied, my attempt at compassion resonating in her as she gave my hand a squeeze. If there was one thing I knew for sure, it was that I hated seeing Granger sad. She might be attractive when she was getting passionately angry about something, but her sadness made me uneasy.

Conversation with Granger was not quite as, difficult as I thought it would be. I thought that we'd be at each other's throats all night. We argued, but I decided that it was just part of our building dynamic. We would argue, challenge each other and tease each other relentlessly. It was more for amusement than anything. I couldn't resist the urge to make Grangers cheeks pink with either embarrassment or anger. By the end of the evening, I was almost enjoying myself. Considering the week's events I decided my enjoyment was quite a feat.

"We can split it." Granger reached for the check, but I was quicker, letting out a laugh.

"This was a date wasn't it? I'd hardly let you pay." I scoffed, leaving more than enough muggle money to cover the bill before standing up and gesturing for her to do the same.

"You don't have to do that, I'm perfectly capable of paying my way you know." She pouted, stepping out of the door when I opened it. I shook my head, wondering what I'd gotten myself into before I spoke.

"Please, I know exactly what you make, considering I make the same amount. I also have the Malfoy inheritance to retire on, so it's nothing." I assured her, not caring so much about the careful distance that we always left between us while walking together.

"It is not…_nothing._" She mumbled. I rolled my eyes, she was so stubborn.

"Consider it rent. I am living at your flat, am I not?" I countered, she seemed to be stumped at that.

"Shut up." She mumbled in defeat. She slipped her small cold hand into mine and intertwined our fingers. At first it was an odd sensation, but I rather liked the way her hand felt in mine. I couldn't even remember the last time I'd held hands with someone. It was surprisingly comforting feeling. She looked up at me through her lashes, as though to ask if the gesture was alright. I gave her an assuring smile, suddenly at quite a loss for words myself. We walked along in silence for a few moments, but it wasn't as uncomfortable as it had been before. It was a content, almost happy silence.

"This is going to be so strange." She laughed after a few paces, continuing to match my strides.

"What's that?" I asked.

"Us living together while dating, or just starting to date." She shrugged. I thought about that for a moment, hoping that it would make things much easier for us.

"I was under the impression that it was rather strange before, and it was incredibly tense." I muttered, thinking it through.

"Yeah that's true I suppose. Will you tell your mother?" She asked suddenly. I was confused by the nervousness in her voice.

"Of course, she'll be dying to hear about it anyway. She hides it pretty well but she absolutely adores that I fancy you." I shrugged, trying to become more comfortable talking about such…intimate things with her. It was much easier than I'd thought.

"Really? You told her you fancied me?" She asked incredulously. I examined her expression before I understood where she was coming from.

"My mother is less concerned about blood purity than I am, and if I haven't proven it to you by now, your blood status means absolutely nothing to me." I scoffed, rather annoyed at her surprise.

"Well good." She was mumbling again as we reached her flat. "Would you like to come in for some tea?" She teased.

"I knew you took me out for a reason, Granger." I snickered. She tensed, and relinquished my hand and walking inside. I groaned inwardly, realizing that my smart comment would probably be overanalyzed. Sure enough Granger rubbed her arm nervously, looking down.

"Malfoy, I erm…I just—

"Come off it. If I was interested in a quick shag I wouldn't have agreed to date you first." I rolled my eyes.

"Well excuse me; you do have a reputation for wining and dining women with a particular intention." She scowled, crossing her arms. I grimaced, forgetting that she'd probably done a bit of reading on me in the gossip papers.

"This is clearly different Granger, I haven't even touched you." I snapped, getting irritated at what was beginning to feel like an interrogation. I'd worked hard to be a gentleman all night, if she didn't see that then she was even less observant than I'd thought.

"Well why not!" She asked, turning completely pink as she asked. I looked at her, exasperated. I couldn't win.

"What do you mean why not? How am I supposed to answer that?" I growled. The thought of dating her was seeming more ridiculous by the second.

"Exactly what I asked, do you not want to…to—

"Shag?" I provided. "Well of course I bloody want to shag you! Trouble is I actually like you." I snapped back, we were just a foot away and she unfolded her arms, her lips pursed as she searched my eyes.

"Will you stop using that word? I _hate_ it. Besides I'm not bloody asking you to shag me I'm just interested in your opinion, I mean we're dating now aren't we, what does that mean, I—

I cut her off, wrapping my arm around her waist and yanking her towards me, crushing my lips against hers, effectively quieting her. I decided that if she needed proof that I found her attractive I might as well do both of us a favor. If she'd said one more bloody word I might have ripped my own hair out. She was obnoxious, annoying and the most alluring, kissable woman I'd ever had the pleasure of knowing. When our lips met my body exploded in goose bumps, my veins jolting with desire. Her soft touch was much more demobilizing than I thought it would be.

My lips moved against hers, and within a moment she responded. She locked her hands behind my neck, moving her mouth with mine, exploring my lips with her own. I felt every curve and pout of her lips, mentally noting how full they were, how incredible they felt against me. Her body was pressed up against my chest, her soft curves felt almost painfully exquisite. We locked together like two puzzle pieces, so different, yet carved exactly to fit in one another. I moved my hand to her hair, grazing my tongue against her lower lip for entrance. She obliged immediately, expertly moving her mouth within mine. Feeling myself losing control, I decided not to prove her right and pulled away begrudgingly.

"I'll be doing that more often if it gets you to stop your incessant arguing." I said breathlessly, a smile in my voice. She grinned back at me, not moving her hands from my neck, her breath hitting my neck as she spoke.

"I think I can handle that."

.

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**Hey guys, thanks for reading I hope you like it! More interesting moments to come! Thanks so much for those of you who've been reviewing, honestly I appreciate it so much. Thank you also for all of you who've added the story to your favorites or your alerts :) Please read and review, it always makes me update faster! :) **

**-Onalee **


	13. Physical Contact

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter nor his wizarding world. That's JKRowling's job. **

"Are you going to owl the ginger Potter then?" I glanced up, surprised yet again to find him so close to me. He was sitting on the opposite side of the sofa in the study, appraising me. I shrugged.

"Why?" I answered indignantly. Our communication skills were entirely unique and definitely volatile, however physically, we fit perfectly. I was entirely concerned when we'd finally gotten back to my flat. I knew we found each other intriguing, however no amount of intrigue was going to completely fuel a relationship. I worried we would have an awkward, sloppy mess of a first kiss, but I should have known better. Draco was an expert kisser. Keeping in mind that I was not known for the notches in my headboard, I wasn't the best person to ask. However it was undeniable that Draco Malfoy's lips were sensational. He'd even made me feel like I was doing half the work. The way he moved his lips almost forced me to reciprocate, exploring him and myself in the same breath. The experience was phenomenal and left me aching for more.

"Curious." He shrugged. I reached out to him, smoothing a non-existent wrinkle on the arm of his shirt with my thumb. My behavior was laughable; I was looking for any excuse to touch him. I expected that he might fling my hand back where it belonged, but he left it after raising an eyebrow. "Were you planning on informing her of my identity?" He didn't sound irritated, simply curious. I bit my lip, withdrawing my arm. I didn't know how to answer that, because I wasn't sure of what I wanted to do about her exactly.

"Would you be so opposed to that?" I asked, attempting casualty in my tone. His suave and smooth conversational skills were not rubbing off on me, despite my attempts.

"If it's what you want. But I doubt Potter will be so approving after _that _conversation." He warned. I leaned back into the corner of the couch, pulling my knees to my chest. I doubted my impending conversation with Harry would end well for me, and Draco was just one of many reasons why.

"If you'd rather keep it between us Granger I wouldn't mind either." He assured me, pretending to continue looking over the parchments. We had decided earlier that we wouldn't even try to talk about the case until we'd both decided we'd taken in all the information we could. It was the best way to keep our arguing strictly factual. He reached for my hand and I stretched it out to him instinctively, continuously surprised at how easily we meshed, at least physically. Mentally we definitely had hoops to jump through, we were both so guarded. In the kiss we shared hours earlier it became evident to me how he felt about me and I could only hope and assume he felt the same from me. It was a rather fascinating, peculiar and convenient phenomenon, one that I'd never shared with Ron, who was arguably the worst communicator in the world.

"I have a lot I need to talk to Harry about I suppose." I confessed, biting down on my lip as I ran through the subjects, one by one in my mind. He traced non-existent patterns on my palm with his thumb, relaxing me in an unnervingly simple gesture.

"Like what?" He asked. He'd forgotten about the papers and was staring down at our hands, seemingly observing them thoroughly, it was slightly endearing.

"I have some resentment towards him." I started, almost completely at ease. The difference a small touch could make was incredible. It was so different from the way we'd talked just a few hours ago at the restaurant, as though that one gesture of our lips meeting had opened a channel between us that otherwise wouldn't have been defined.

"Regarding?" He mumbled, seeming interested enough as he flipped my hand over, thumbing over my knuckles.

"Ron, Harry and I used to be so close…I kind of let it go when Ron and I split, but I've been missing the dynamic we shared lately. So that got me thinking about how we used to all have dinner on Tuesdays, and then Ginny came over tonight and she reminded me of what a lovely friendship we used to share…" I began. I hadn't allowed myself to visit this place in my mind in years, it was far too dark. I hardly thought that I'd ever share these feelings with anyone, let alone Draco Malfoy. He nodded tartly, as though he understood, but didn't meet my eyes, he continued to trace my fingers up and down, staring at them.

"Then well I started thinking about why we grew apart and the truth was quite glaringly obvious really." I sighed. "They're family, and I'm not." My heart felt heavy with sadness, finally voicing my fears.

"You said that you were considered family there." Draco muttered, still playing with our hands but throwing me a questioning glance.

"I am, but when Harry married Ginny, he literally became part of the family. I feel like I became Ronald's sufferable ex girlfriend." I moped. Draco gestured for my other hand, turning towards me as he examined them thoughtfully.

"That's hardly fair, you were his friend first." His words slightly threw me for a loop. I'd never pinned Malfoy as one to understand friendship, let alone highlight some of its more redeemable qualities.

"Right, exactly. Harry was there for Ron, because he was family, but he wasn't really there for me. He never took me to a meal or asked me if I was alright. I suppose he didn't really know what to say but that's not that good of an excuse." I scoffed. Malfoy nodded, looking up at me after a moment.

"As correct as you may be, if you have no point to your conversation I hardly think it will help your friendship. Potter's never been one for words." He half smirked, and I smiled half heartedly.

"I think the point would be that I would like to repair our friendship. I would like to start being family again, and I would like to do that while having you in my life." My throat dried at the seriousness of my words. He seemed almost unfazed by them. He just nodded at me, frowning inquisitively.

"That's quite a large pill to swallow, telling him he's been a dastardly friend and informing him you're dating his nemesis."

"I think quite honestly I'm going to have to guilt him into being alright with it." I bit my lip, feeling ashamed for the behavior, but I didn't see how else to get a good reaction out of Harry. Malfoy turned his attention to my face, cocking his eyebrow in surprise.

"I hadn't pegged you as the type Granger. I'm marginally impressed." He grinned. The way his features contorted in happiness gave me an inconsolable urge to press myself against him once more.

"Yes well, I'm not entirely proud of it, but what can I do." I sighed again, standing up to stretch. I became self conscious when I realized he was watching me out of the corner of his eye, observing the lengths of my body with an expression that continued to portray impressiveness.

"I don't suppose you'll want to talk about the case, Granger." He sighed, seeming to be tired of the subject already. I nodded, knowing it was something that had to be done sooner or later. I was sure that even though we might be dating he would not go any easier on me in our arguments. Part of that realization made me nervous, and a fractional part excited me in the slightest.

"I think that Rodolphus and Rabastan are clearly answering to someone, and finding out your identity is only the very first thing on their list of commands." I started, taking a seat opposite him in the chair. He nodded contemplatively, taking in my observation.

"I can agree with you on that." He gestured for me to continue.

"I think they want to learn your identity so they know who to be wary of, so they know it's not someone following them that's ratting them out. I think they launched the attack on the burrow in an attempt to kill anyone they could while finding out your identity and where the loyalty of their followers is." I sighed, knowing that the obvious was the easy part.

"I can agree with that." He began. "In order to find out what they're after, I think it's imperative to understand who exactly they're answering to."

"I think their leader is locked up. Nobody else makes sense. All the other death eaters still at large were lower in the ranks than the Lestranges, they wouldn't just take orders from someone below them, even I know that." I observed as his posture became ridden with annoyance. He crossed his arms tightly and spoke through his teeth.

"Impossible. We've proven a hundred times over that the death eaters inside Azkaban cannot communicate with the outside world. You saw what we had to go through to get in there."

"I know, but perhaps they left a set of instructions. Maybe somehow, whoever is leading them anticipated this and left them precise instructions." I tried, knowing it was a little off kilter. However I had a serious feeling that someone who we hadn't marked as a threat was up to this.

"Nothing written would intimidate them. They're followers, it's what they do, they need _someone_ to follow. Besides the instructions clearly would have to be based on circumstance if their short term goal is to find out my identity." He refused to look at me, rubbing his temples, probably in an attempt to stop the spread of a headache.

"I understand that but I highly doubt they would be following someone new, they'd be a hundred times more likely to kill off each other in an attempt to claim themselves as the leader." I huffed, getting annoyed.

"You're forgetting about the possibility that they were recruited. Someone threw them a line and they took it. They couldn't have been too happy with where they were hiding. They were probably just waiting for something or someone to come along." He suggested.

"As much as I do not agree with you at all, we do need to find out who the leader is, and we agree there is a leader, correct?" I asked tentatively, hopping my next request wouldn't send him over the edge.

"Agreed." He nodded, seeming unsure as he eyed my expression.

"We should launch a counter attack. We should set up an ambush and capture one, if not both of them." I tried. He seemed to take in my offer for a moment.

"How do you plan on doing that without the help of the aurors?" He asked slowly. "We'd have to outnumber the entirety of them to even consider it. They matched us a little too closely at the Burrow." He began.

"Its just an idea, we'll have to talk to Harry about it." I said.

"But the aurors are unreliable, and we can't do a thing until we have a few of them behind us." He reprimanded.

"I know, but there are a few that I know personally and trust. If they were working side by side with us, with upfront instructions I doubt we'd have a problem with them. The problem seems to come into play when they're communicated with indirectly."

"But if they were to turn on us during the ambush the consequences would be deadly." He snapped.

"It might be the only way to understand the motive of the group." I countered, knowing that I was in the right.

"And I suppose you have an idea on how to get them to come to us?" He asked, probably already knowing my answer.

"That's simple, they attacked me when I was alone." I shrugged. "It wouldn't be difficult to simulate a similar situation for them."

"There are quite a few things wrong with that Hermione." He grimaced. Chills ran down my spine when he used my first name. "First of all they might be expecting a counter attack. They'll be on their toes. Second, they might be daft, but I hardly believe for a second that they'll think you'd let them put you in a similar position again. If they see you alone they might suspect an ambush, they might even prepare for one." He seethed. "Third, they aren't really after you are they?" He threw me an inquisitive look, and my heart began hammering faster than normal. The thought of him in my position was quite…frightening.

"You're suggesting that you bait yourself?" I asked, the idea made sense, but my instincts were screaming in protest.

"Precisely. If we launch an attack I think it only makes sense to use me as bait." He drawled, looking bored.

"They might not attack you, they know how powerful you are." I argued, thinking about the way he'd stunned Rabastan without hesitation at the burrow and then overpowered another death eater in moments.

"If they can disarm me from afar they will. They attacked you didn't they? They certainly see you as a threat, believe me." He rolled his eyes and my modesty and stood up to stretch. "We'll work out the logistics tomorrow with Potter then? Can't be wasting any time."

"Sure." I nodded, feeling nervous about our impending course of action.

"Stop worrying." He commanded, taking a step towards me. He reached out to my face and his thumb smoothed a wrinkle in my forehead, relaxing my expression. I fought the shiver of pleasure that threatened to visibly shake my body.

"Get some more sleep. You _were_ attacked yesterday, and it didn't slip my notice that the healer wanted to keep you another night." He commented in almost an affectionate tone, moving his hand down to cup my cheek. I nodded stupidly, drinking in the depth of his eyes, unable to focus on anything else in this world.

He moved in much slower than before, taking in my expression as he tilted my chin upward, in perfect alignment with his face. He was softer, more precise with his movement, making my stomach churn in anticipation. His lips barely brushed mine at first, sending a quiver of need through me. He seemed to feel it too, latching his mouth to mine moving his lips in correlation to my own with less fervor, but the same soft passion. I hadn't realized that my fingers were tangled in his soft almost silky hair until he pulled away ever so slightly, smiling at my eagerness. I thought I might feel stupid for the wave of intensity, but I only felt curious.

"Goodnight, Granger." He whispered against my lips, a smirk gracing his features, apparently pleased at the effect he'd had on me.

I observed as he walked away at a brisk clip, his body languid with exhaustion. I grinned in spite of myself, curling into a ball in the chair, content with the lingering post kiss bliss that coddled me into sleep.

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><p>.<p>

I showered quickly and quietly the morning following my date with Granger. She had been much more pleasant than I'd anticipated. The conversation was a bit forced, the overall mood was awkward, and I now knew why. The sexual tension had been building between us for weeks. I of course knew that I'd had that tension, but I was completely unaware that she was feeling the same way. It became very obvious to me that she was also feeling the pinch in her stomach that came with lust when she immediately responded to my advances with such fervor that I had to fight to not take the next step, although I was sure she would be all too willing.

I cursed, trying not to let my thoughts linger on sex, my imagination painting a very clear picture for me. I turned the shower knob left, knowing that the icy water would quickly relinquish any further desires, at least for the moment. If I had any doubts that Granger and I would match up physically, they were long gone. I felt out of body whenever our hands touched or our eyes locked. It was almost like an unspoken bond, one that I needed quite desperately. It was no secret that I wasn't the best with conveying my emotions. Whenever I felt empathy or sympathy my first instinct told me to stop being so helpless, to get mad and go fix whatever was causing the problem. I'd come to accept that not every problem was fixable. It gave me a great sense of accomplishment to learn that with a small touch I could begin to convey my innermost desires and emotions to her.

I began to think about the busy day I'd lined up for myself and groaned. I'd been locked up in this house with Granger for weeks and just when things started to get interesting between us I had errands to run. I certainly had a lot to do though. I had to go to the ministry for therapy straight away which put a huge damper on my mood. I couldn't even begin to voice my inner most thoughts on Granger. It was difficult enough to admit to myself that I even liked her, let alone someone else. After the ministry I'd set up a meeting with Potter for the three of us to discuss an ambush. I knew that would be entirely unpleasant since Potter had insisted we hold the meeting at his home. His ginger wife would surely not miss the opportunity to harass Granger about me, which might even prompt what was sure to be a very tense conversation with Potter himself.

With my luck we'd be at the Potter residence until at least dinner. Dinner was bound to be the best part of my day. I felt a little irritated that I'd allowed Granger to plan our first date, so I intended to make the second, one she would not soon forget. I'd given Daisy implicit instructions on just exactly what I wanted out of the night and she obliged happily, promising to keep it from Granger. I grimaced once more, thinking about house-elf rights that she seemed to be so insistent on. Daisy seemed to find a great joy in serving me, she wouldn't leave if I set her free anyway.

I got dressed, putting on the clothes that fit me correctly, which I had missed so much. I found myself almost relearning my body's quirks. It was a comfortable feeling, being back in my own skin. Unfortunately with the amount that I would be out and about today, I wouldn't be able to continue without my potion. Potter wouldn't be the only one shocked to see a Malfoy running around the ministry, going to therapy no less. I decided to wait until the last possible second to take my potion, I wanted to only take one and I wanted it to wear off just before dinner, which was tricky. Besides I didn't want Granger thinking anything different of me when she saw me this morning. I wanted things to stay as similar as possible. I knew she was probably up all night making charts and lists in her mind about me. I shuddered at the thought of her over analyzing things, she could fathomably change her mind about me at any moment, and I wouldn't have half a mind to argue with her. I hesitated a moment as I exited my room, knowing she'd asked me specifically to let her know when I was leaving. I didn't like to answer to anyone, however not informing her could have me missing an opportunity to kiss her again.

"Morning Malfoy." Before I even set foot out of my room, she greeted me, apparently on her way to the kitchen.

"Morning." I grumbled, following her. She was already dressed, which didn't really surprise me when I thought about it; she was generally up when I was. I was however surprised by her sudden interest in her appearance. It was hardly noticeable, but I saw that she was taking just a little extra effort to make her hair look so touchable.

"What are you doing up so early? We were up late last night and you need sleep after the attack." I mumbled, irritated that she'd caught me off guard.

"Well you have an appointment at the ministry, don't you? I intend on joining you so we can floo to Harry's together afterward." She shrugged.

"Go back to bed, I'll come get you after I'm through at the ministry." I said sternly, less than enchanted by her prospects.

"Absolutely not. Like you said the death eaters are going to take literally any measure necessary to get to you, I would rather we not take unnecessary risks. Especially not now that I actually like having you around." Her face contorted in something close to a smirk. My heart surged with a mixture of pride and longing.

"Fine. But you'll have to wait in Potter's office or something, don't just go aimlessly wandering." I agreed, deciding it was too early in the morning to even begin arguing with her.  
>"We should be off then." She decided, taking a piece of toast off the counter. Then she paused before passing by me and took out her wand. Instinctively mine was out in a flash, and she stared down at it, frowning.<p>

"Surely I'm past the point of hexing you when you're being difficult Malfoy. I was just going to charm that face of yours." She scolded. I shoved my wand back in my pocket.

"You can make it look like Evans?" I eyed her warily, not even really considering the fact she might want to change my face again.

"Of course. This way I can still see you, and you'll still feel like you. It was part of our deal remember?" She pointed her wand in my face and I closed my eyes, concentrating rather hard not to follow my instincts and disarm her.

"Finished, and I hardly think all that cringing was necessary, you didn't seem to mind our proximity towards each other last night." She grinned. I was surprised by her boldness, but I enjoyed it.

"Last night your wand wasn't pointed in my face." I replied, shrugging on my travelling cloak.

"True." She muttered, doing the same before leading the way to the fireplace.

"Freeze." I commanded, and she obliged, turning around just as she was about to set foot in the floo. If she was feeling bold than I absolutely had to outdo her. She placed her hands on her hips and scrutinized my expression.

"We're going to be late you know." She muttered.

"No, I'm going to be late." I corrected her, taking a step forward. "But I couldn't care less, I knew I wouldn't be able to focus had I not properly bid you a good morning." I smirked, and confusion washed over her features before she tensed, anticipation raking through her body. I grinned at the affect my words had and closed the distance between us swiftly. My face was less than an inch from hers when I cupped her cheek, my hand igniting at the touch. I searched her large innocent eyes, finding I could gaze into them forever. She titled her mouth upward, and I held back a chuckle at her hint, but decided to put her out of her misery. I lowered my lips to hers and what was planned to be just a peck, quickly became much more.

Her hands wound their way around my waist, clinging to me. I brought both my hands to her face, cradling her while our lips moved together, sensation writhing in the pit of my stomach. I felt myself wanting to remove her cloak and decided that I needed to pull away before I had to take another shower. Gently I closed our mouths off with the chaste kiss I'd intended in the first place and pulled back from her. She flattened her feet on the floor, shrinking a few inches. Her face said it all, she liked kissing me as much as I utterly enjoyed kissing her, it was a feeling I could relish in for a long, long time.

"Good morning." I spoke quietly, gesturing for her to continue to the fireplace. She nearly tripped over her own two feet, but obliged once again, disappearing into the green flame.

Having trouble focusing was not something I was entirely used to, but Granger seemed to be eating at my every thought. I tapped my foot against the floor absently, becoming entirely impatient with the therapeutic process. I'd been listening to the doctor lecture me for an hour, and I was growing tired of it. I almost didn't want to tell my mother than I was with Granger if it meant she was going to list all the reasons in the world why that was such a wonderful thing.

"Perhaps you should try bringing her along." That caught my attention.

"Bringing Granger?" I asked incredulously. The thought was absolutely laughable. Being in therapy with me, while I talked about all my inner demons, was one of the very last places on earth that I wanted her to be.

"You've been talking about the mental disconnect. Physical will only get you so far, you know that Draco." The doctor said clearly. I rolled my eyes, not caring if she saw.

"It's not like we don't talk, it's just a little awkward." I grumbled, defending the new relationship was a little difficult, but I felt like it was my job.

"This program is designed to slowly integrate you back into society, by helping you with your relationships. First and foremost your relationship with yourself, then your family and finally your significant other, this program is supposed to help you with that." She insisted. I scowled, unhappy with the idea of Granger being in this stuffy little room with me.

"It's your choice of course Draco, but I recommend it." She added. I tried not to roll my eyes this time, if she recommended something, it generally meant I had to do it if I wanted to continue on in the program.

"Fine, I'll ask her, but that's all." I begrudgingly agreed.

"That's all I can ask. I'll owl her with the information in case it slips your mind." She smiled sweetly. After admitting my defeat in therapy, seeing Potter was the last thing I wanted to do, however it had to be done. I knocked on the door of Potter's office, hoping that Granger would be the one to answer.

"How was it?" She asked happily upon answering the door, looking a bit better rested.

"It was normal." I said curtly, not wanted to approach the subject further, at least not now.

"Are you ready to go then, I just owled Harry, he said now was as good a time as any." She asked, she seemed worried and I wasn't sure if it was about Potter in general or about the conversation she might be having with him.

"I'm ready, are you though?" I asked, hoping she would catch the sense of reassurance in my tone.

"Yeah, I suppose so. Ready as I'll ever be that is." She sighed and I nodded absently, gesturing to the fireplace inside Potter's office. There was something uneasy about following Granger into the flames, I never thought I'd be declaring Potter's address into the floo network. I shook the bizarre feeling and focused on the conversation I was about to have, convincing myself we could do this quietly, even quickly.

"Hermione, Evans why don't you sit." Potter's wife pulled out two chairs for us at the dining room table, and nodded tartly at Hermione, apparently not happy with her. I grimaced, watching Hermione bite her lip. It was far too early in the meeting for her to feel a sense of unease. Although it went against every rational bone in my body, I placed my hand on her knee under the table, which seemed to relax her muscles instantly. She gave me a quick smile and I made to remove my hand, which she caught in hers and left in her lap.

I felt a mixture of anxiety and pleasure from the gesture. Although I was quite comfortable with my hand in hers, warmth radiating from her legs, I could hardly consider it professional. I tried to put that thought behind me, relishing in the feeling of skin against skin. If Potter noticed he would just have to deal with it.

"Hey guys." Potter sighed, slouching into the room, ridden with exhaustion.

"Hi Harry." Hermione squeaked, and I gave him a nod. We had no time for pleasantries, and although he did look like shit, I needed answers from him.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" He asked, his voice monotone, clearly uninterested in what we had to say.

"Would you like some butterbeer love?" His wife whispered in a tone so low I was sure he hadn't heard her until he answered.

"Thank you Ginny." He nodded.

"Anything for you two?" She added a little louder.

"No thank you." I said as politely as possible, looking to Hermione.

"No thanks Gin." She repeated. The girl nodded and waddled to the kitchen.

"We have a lot of things to discuss, first and foremost being the inadequacy of the aurors." I began, cutting straight to business.

"They don't have any rebellion in them, from my investigations it looks like were having a problem with communication. I swapped out the ministry's method of communication and replaced it with a much more complicated form, we've been working on testing that out and so far so good." Harry frowned, getting serious as his wife placed the butter beer in front of him. She disappeared off down the hall, surprisingly graceful in her pregnancy.

"Any news on the investigation?" Granger asked him, her hand still comfortably resting in mine as she spoke clearly.

"If there was any, you know I would have owled you right away." Potter replied, sounding rather bored. His behavior was irritating, he was being less than professional and I had no time for it.

"Harry." To my surprise Hermione furrowed her brow, reaching out her free hand to touch his forearm in a comforting gesture. He shrugged her off discretely and she pulled back, sitting up straighter.

"You know how it is Hermione. I'm just trying to get the job done." He assured her. She nodded slowly.

"We'd like to stage a counter attack." She said softly. His eyes shot towards her, she'd obviously gotten his attention.

"Really?" He asked, his expression was hard to read, his tone even more difficult.

"We feel that if we capture either Rabastan or Rodolphus we can extract all the information we need from them and end this." Granger added firmly. He stared at her for a second and I was confused by the silent exchange. He appraised her expression for far too long, and she held his gaze, unmoving.

"What do you need from me?" He asked, straightening up, apparently ready to begin talking logistics.

"We need absolute certainty that your aurors will come through for us as backup." Granger continued. "We plan on using Evans as bait to lure them in, if we have enough aurors on standby we can ambush them, capture at least one of them and get out of there quickly and quietly." She said. Potter's face was hard and callous, he was obviously thinking about something or other.

"You're baiting him?" it was more of a statement than a question. I was irritated that he mentioned me like I wasn't in the room.

"He insists that I can't bait myself." She replied coldly, I gave her hand a small squeeze and her expression softened in the slightest.

"You understand that I won't put you on the field for this." He said casually. Granger tensed and then furrowed her brow in outrage.

"Why not? I'm perfectly capable and you know it!" She shouted in protest. Potter held up a hand for her to quiet down and for a moment I thought she might hex it off him. He seemed to think better of his action and looked at her disapprovingly instead.

"You were just injured, I cannot risk having someone who was just injured on the field. You of all people should know it doesn't work like that." He said softly, and I hated to admit that I completely agreed with him.

"But Harry, I—

"I'm not finished Hermione. You've not been at your best recently, you've been fighting emotionally instead of instinctively and we all know how dangerous that can be. Look at the mistakes you've make. First you almost got yourself killed trying to duel for not only yourself but also Ron, and you got attacked because you were distracted." He spoke calmly and smoothly but Granger's fingers were digging into my palm with fervor as she clenched her jaw.

"Harry that's not fair you know—

"Still not finished Hermione." Potter cut her off again and I was torn on how to react. "With Evans as bait I can't guarantee that you wouldn't sense his vulnerability and jump in prematurely, costing us the entire mission." He said sternly.

"How dare you insinuate that I am not emotionally stable enough to do my job!" She stood up, slamming both her palms on the table, glaring at him. He seemed concerned for her rather than himself.

"Hermione you know how highly I think of you alright, don't make this something it isn't." He replied quietly, refusing to meet her eyes. I wanted to reach out to her but I refrained knowing I couldn't do so undetected by Potter, and I hardly wanted to make things any worse.

"I'm head of the case Harry, I'll be there and you cannot stop me." She nearly growled and he shrugged.

"Then my aurors won't be there. You might control the case but I control them and I won't put all of us in a situation that isn't ideal. I want this to go off without a hitch and to do that I will not have you there." He said sternly. Granger was shaking with rage, staring at him with a loss for words.

"That's not fair." She rasped, her voice coming out much weaker than I'd anticipated. Her face was blushed in anger and the rims of her eyes were sporting a faint red as she welled up with tears.

"Hermione I'm trying to protect not only you but all of us. I can't think like your friend, I have to do my job." He said softly, reaching out to place his palm over hers. She ripped it away instantly, her tears falling silently on her angry expression.

"Harry, don't. I'm not a little girl, I don't need your protection." She whispered violently. I wanted for her to sit down desperately, her legs were shaking so hard I was sure she would collapse if she didn't.

"I'm not saying you do, but I'm not sending you on a suicide mission. Unless there is a 99 percent chance that you'll come back unscathed, then I won't be taking the chance, I'm sorry if that bothers you, but that's my final answer." He stated firmly. I knew that Granger's anger had reached its limit, she would either explode in rage or in tears.

"I will go around you if I have to, don't think for one second that I won't." She threatened, holding it together.

"You can't. We both know the only way around me is Kingsley and he'll do what's best for the mission. You know this is best please stop fighting me on it." Harry tried reasoning with her but she just shook her head.

"Can't you just support me once, on this one thing?" She asked, catching Potter off guard. My heart hammered in fear of the turn in conversation. I felt like I should leave but I had no way out.

"What?" He asked, obviously thrown off.

"Nothing I just…please." She chewed on her lip, lowering herself back into her seat.

"If this is about something else, then you should explain it." He said tartly. I threw him a glare but I doubted he caught it.

"We're dating." She spluttered. I raised my eyebrows in surprise of her confession, feeling more uncomfortable as I shifted in my seat. She clumsily reached for my hand and I obliged, but I doubted that would make it any easier for her.

"Hermione we've been over this, I'm glad." He sighed, somewhat relieved. Hermione only looked more nervous, the tears still in her eyes and staining her cheeks.

"You're not going to like it Harry." She whispered. I had not anticipated that I would be here for this moment, and I suddenly cursed myself for my lack of preparation. Potter looked between the two of us, his expression blank, obviously confused.

"I told you Hermione, I think it's good that you're out and dating, and Evans is a good bloke. I like him." I couldn't help but let out a small laugh that I tried to pass off as a cough. Granger threw me a look, and Potter seemed more confused than ever.

"But that's just the thing, he's not Evans. I know who he really is." She whispered, holding Potter's gaze for a moment. He straightened up again and cleared his throat, seeming to understand the situation. His voice was low and quiet when he spoke.

"Hermione I told you what I think. If you're happy then I don't care who he is. He's…proven himself in my book." I was impressed by Potter's maturity, I'd expected him to be less pleasant, however the worst part was yet to come.

"Promise me." She whispered, her eyes pleading as she looked at him. "Promise me that you'll still think that." She begged. I gave her hand another squeeze, but it had no such effect on her.

"Hermione, like I said, as long as you're happy." He assured her. She bit her lip again, seemingly weighing her options before speaking. Within a moment her wand was pointed in my face. When it dawned on me that this was how she planned on revealing me my heart dropped to my stomach, it was one thing to learn the truth, but another entirely to see it. Before I could protest, it was over, she'd changed me back. I heard a sharp intake of breath followed closely by the sound of breaking glass. I snapped my head in the direction of the Ginger Potter standing in the entry to the dining room, who had dropped her dish, shock plastered across her features.

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><p>.<p>

**Hey guys sorry about the unusual wait, but the holiday season has taken over my schedule. Don't worry, I still intend on finishing the story and updating regularly. Hope you enjoyed the progression in this chapter, I liked writing it. Thank you to all my lovely reviewers, your reviews make my day always 3 Please read and review, the reviews fuel me to write faster :)**

**-Onalee**


	14. Unpleasant Conversations

**Disclaimer: I obviously do not own Harry Potter, nor his lovely Wizarding World. That's JKRowling's job. **

It probably wasn't the best way to do that. Silence wrapped around Draco and I as we sat at the table, not even looking at each other. Harry had gaped at us for at least four or five seconds before finally turning to Ginny without a word and cleaning up her mess before ushering her out of the room. It had been roughly 5 or 6 minutes and he still hadn't returned. The silence was more than unnerving, even when Malfoy blindly reached for my hand, it couldn't soothe the erratic pattern of my heartbeat.

"It could have been much worse." He mumbled after a moment. I still didn't look at him. I couldn't stand to.

"I'm not sure how." I replied. "Not only did I_ not_ get my point across about anything, but I also sprung his childhood enemy upon him without warning." I groaned, nearly wincing at the word enemy. Chills ran up my spine as he attempted to calm me by rubbing his thumb in circles on the top of my hand.

"He didn't try to kill me. He didn't yell at you." He assured me. I shook my head, the worst was yet to come and I knew it. My only prayer was that somehow Ginny had decided in that one second she saw him that she was okay with our relationship and that she would try to calm Harry down as well. Ginny was generally avid about her opinions, and seeing that her hormones were at an all-time high, it was highly unlikely that she was doing anything to help.

"It's not over yet." I groaned again, letting my forehead rest on the cool table in front of me. Goosebumps erupted through me as Malfoy moved his hand to my back, rubbing in small, slow circles. It was a very natural movement, nothing about it felt awkward, it almost made the moment feel normal.

The conversation I'd intended to have with Harry was nothing like this. First of all it was literally the last thing I wanted to have Malfoy here. As comforting as he was, I should have done damage control. Seeing and hearing are two different things. I should have given Harry time to adjust, I should have given myself time for a further explanation. I tried to shake off my thoughts, stifling another groan. I went about the whole conversation wrong.

I hadn't even touched on how I felt about my friendship with Harry and Ron. I was so stressed and consumed by all my thoughts that I hadn't even finished my discussion with him about the case. I felt so weak. I was sure that Harry was as confused as ever too. I didn't clarify one of the three things that I had intended to talk to him about before I talked about Malfoy. It wouldn't have been the first time I'd completely messed things up, however I was determined to set it right, one way or another. At least it wasn't Ron. At least I didn't completely spill my feelings on Ron, if I had I know he wouldn't have stayed silent. I sighed a breath of relief at that thought and let out a dry chuckle.

"What's funny?" Draco asked in a rather bored tone, continuing to rub my back.

"I mean at least it wasn't Ron." I set my elbow on the table, propping up my head to look at him. A tiny smile played on the edges of his lips as he nodded.

"I suppose you're correct on that." He laced his fingers with my free hand and looked at me intently, as though he wanted to ask me something.

"What is it?" I asked, almost embarrassed that I'd even assumed he wanted to know anything. Before my cheeks could flush he answered.

"Nothing, just wondering why you decided_ that_ would be the best time to reverse your identity spell." He continued to look at me, as though attempting to read me. I thought about the best way to word my answer.

"I just felt so pressured I think. I had so many things that I was trying to get off my chest and they all came out at once, mixed into one another and everything came out wrong." I tried and he appraised my expression for a few moments before nodding with understanding.

"I'm sure you'll be relieved at the very least. Your stress level couldn't have been healthy, especially with the case on your hands." He muttered. His voice may have been a little stern but the affection of his words was almost overwhelming. I nodded dumbly, just in time to see Harry enter the room suddenly, his eyes focused on the floor as he took the seat across from us again. My stomach knotted in anticipation, my heart wrenched with anxiety, I was hanging on his every move.

"I don't really know what I'm supposed to say Hermione." He cleared his throat, refusing to look at me. I frowned, it wasn't the worst thing he could have said, but I sensed he was far from being finished talking. "Do you mind waiting in the other room…Malfoy?" Harry fought to keep his composure and his professionalism. Without a word Draco nodded and squeezed my hand tightly before releasing me to Harry. I cast the silencing charm before Harry had a chance to and I waited for him to say something, anything really. It seemed like hours had passed when he finally looked at me. I felt like a child, one who'd gotten in trouble, awaiting a punishment. I was not a little girl though, and by no means did Harry have any right to consider what I was doing "wrong". I only wanted this to be easy, and I was still slightly hopeful that he could accept this and we could straighten things out.

"I really don't know what to say, honest." He said blankly, clearly not sure how to handle the situation. He was clearly uneasy and had no desire to speak to me whatsoever, but we needed to work it out.

"I know. It's…strange—

"That's a bit of an understatement if you ask me." He interrupted. I frowned, not sure how to proceed. He was right, but so was I.

"Malfoy aside, you and I have some issues." I cleared my throat, trying to keep my calm this time. If I was going to get a second chance at this conversation, I was going to do it correctly.

"Malfoy _aside_?" He asked incredulously, searching my eyes. I nodded stiffly.

"It's a bit shocking. I know." I tried again, wishing more than ever that I'd waited to speak with him about this. As much as his difficulty was warranted, he was also on the hot seat. He'd wronged me more than once these last four years and dating Malfoy wasn't going to cancel those things out.

"Shocking? I mean Hermione it's the biggest news I've gotten all year. And believe me I've heard some things. It's hard enough to believe that Malfoy's been the one who's helped me in particular with all these cases these last few years. But…honestly…to think of the two of you well, erm…_dating…_Merlin what am I even supposed to think! We bloody hated him half our lives. It's one thing to forgive him, even to thank him for what he's done, but I mean Hermione…a _relationship _with the bloke? You deserve better, I mean bloody hell you've _had_ much better." He shook his head, and I clenched my fists under the table. Anger rose through me but I tried not to let it get the better of me. Mentioning Ron was not the best move he could have made. I wasn't exactly prepared to talk about Ron just yet…but this was something I needed my composure to get through.

"It's going to sound ridiculous, but he's changed. You defended him at the trial Harry. You knew he might as well have been defected long before the final battle. You said yourself that it was his upbringing that damned him from the very beginning. You forgave him a long time ago." I said sternly, almost as though pitching my case to him.

"I never said I wanted to be friends with him though, much less invite him over for a nice home-cooked meal!" He snapped. I rolled my eyes at his ignorance. As much as he hated him, this whole ordeal was much bigger than getting along with Malfoy. In an ideal world, they'd be great friends but I wasn't delusional, I'd settle for them being civil. Besides this was more about Harry supporting my life like he'd supported Ron's for all these years, whether or not he 'approved' of my decisions. He wasn't exactly keen on Ron letting the aurors go at Christmas, yet he'd barely gotten a slap on the wrist for it.

"Nobody's asking you to." I quickly replied. "I'm asking for your support, as your friend." I emphasized my point, trying to make him understand everything I'd gone through, everything I'd gone through _alone_. "Harry, you said it yourself; I'm capable of making my own decisions. I'm smart enough to know what is and isn't dangerous for me and I'm adult enough to choose my own path. Whether or not you like Malfoy is entirely beside the point. You supported Ron through all his less than informed decisions. You simply supported his happiness and now for the first time in years I'm asking you to support mine." I took a deep breath, struggling to remain composed. "I've been so miserable Harry, and I haven't asked you for one thing. I'm going to start living my life for me, and what makes me happy. I'm not going to work my arse off to prove a dead point to Ron anymore." He stared intently at me, but he couldn't mask his panic at the vast amount of confessions being hurled at him. "I haven't asked you for much. I never asked you to choose between Ron and I as friends. I never asked you for anything like that because Ron's your family. Do you know how isolated I've felt? _We_ used to be a family, we used to spend every day together, and I know it was much more than just fighting Voldemort that kept us together. We used to be close, all of us. I'm not blaming you for choosing, because if we're being honest, you chose. You chose involuntarily because Ron's your brother in law. I understand that, but I want to be your friend. I never wanted to lose you, and I don't want to now. I need your support on this. I need your support on everything, starting right now." I exhaled loudly and studied his face. He looked torn, maybe a bit lost and definitely shocked. We sat in silence for more than a few moments and I felt a comfortable relief swarm through me. I couldn't remember the last time I'd felt so weightless.

"I guess the years just passed really quickly. We were both so consumed with work and I knew things were different, and I'm sorry. I just thought it would all work itself out. I thought that you two would work out eventually." He said slowly and carefully.

"I know. I did too, for a really long time." I fought tears welling in my eyes and swallowed hard.

"You have my support. I want us to be close again and if he makes you happy…well blimey Hermione I'd love to see you smiling again. And not that I want to speak for Ron, but he just wants things to be better too. He _has_ learned a lot Hermione." It almost felt like Harry was trying to subtly reason with me, but he knew better than that. I'd made up my mind.

"So have I." I replied coolly, feeling much more confident with my new sense of relief.

"How do you plan on dealing with this? I mean how are you going to tell…people?" Harry asked, sitting up straighter in his chair. It didn't take a genius to know that he was referring to the Weasleys.

"When the case is over Malfoy's probation will be terminated and his name will be cleared and glorified in the media for his work at the ministry. His alter ego will be revealed and I won't have to do anything. It'll spell itself out for everyone." I tried.

"The media will be all over you." He mused. "But I was more talking about the family." He cleared his throat, obviously not wanting to throw out Ron's name.

"I don't plan on telling them until the media is about to. I'd love for Ron to get to know Malfoy as Dominick before he reverts to despising him." I sighed, knowing it probably wouldn't help all that much, but I was going to prolong that dreaded conversation with Ron as long as I possibly could.

"So I suppose you're going to ask Ginny and I to keep all this to ourselves then?"Harry seemed to slouch further in his chair, running his fingers through his hair. Strife graced his features as his inner conflicted raged on, but I knew I'd won him over.

"That would be ideal." I replied

"Fine. I'll keep it to myself. And I'll work on our friendship." He said finally and my heart surged. I could help the small smile that crept onto my face. "I've always supported you Hermione, maybe I just haven't been as vocal about it as I could have been." He added defensively. I grinned at him.

"It means a lot to me." I smiled.

"But I swear, if Malfoy starts throwing out sodding insults—

"In case you hadn't noticed he's been on his best behavior for years." I muttered, trying not to push my luck.

"Fine." He grunted unenthusiastically. "And for the record Hermione, I have missed you." He said a little clearer. I smiled softly and lunged across the table, pulling him in a tight hug.

"I've missed you too Harry." I grinned.

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><p>.<p>

"My brother's going to be mental when he hears about all this." Ginerva Weasley took the seat across from me in the living room rather quietly, not being bashful about the way she was scrutinizing me.

"I don't see any reason to enlighten him so quickly." I fought the clip in my voice, but she caught it. I was far more than irritated by this entire situation. I was barely dating Granger, and how here I was being judged by Potter and his wife. I grimaced; I couldn't stand not knowing what was going on in the other room.

"I suppose that's true." She said quietly. I didn't want to look at her, she made me uncomfortable. Maybe it was the fact that I'd subjected her to my relentless teasing alongside the others during school, but it probably had more to do with the fact that she was carrying the first and hopefully only Weasley-Potter offspring. I fought a chill at the thought of their child, the worst of both worlds swaddled up in hand-me-down blankets. I nodded absently, not having any interest whatsoever in talking to the witch.

"Well at least you've learned to keep your mouth shut over the years." She snipped. I threw a glare at her, she was testing my patience and she knew it. I tried to unclench my fists, but my body knew I was too irritated to do so.

"As I see you haven't." I seethed, ready to get up and leave. I groaned inwardly as I glanced at the time. It was already mid-afternoon, and we'd barely touched on the ambush at all.

"Could you even handle all this?" Her voice hinted at something humorous that I couldn't see at the moment, but I didn't respond. "Hermione's one of us. I mean I can understand that you've changed, I can even understand that somehow you've been able to put your differences aside and date, but could you handle all of us? You can barely stand to be in the same room as Harry and I and now it's obvious why. Hermione's family and she always will be, can you handle _that?_" Potter's wife was irritating me so much that I was getting a migraine. She had all the power over me in this situation and she absolutely knew it. I tried not to let her question bother me, but it was festering in the back of my mind. For Christ sake we'd only been seeing each other for a matter of hours.

"I don't see how that's any of your business." I sneered, avoiding contact with her. "I haven't hexed anyone have I? So I suggest you back off." She was pushing my patience over the edge but before I lost myself to rage completely, Granger appeared in the doorframe to the room, a small and seemingly sincere smile on her face. I stood up quickly and nearly closed the distance between us before remembering that we were in such annoying company.

"We're ready to talk about the case some more, if you are." She mumbled quietly, she blushed a deep crimson, probably due to our proximity and I smirked involuntarily, nodding before leading her into the room, with one hand on the small of her back. Curiosity raged on in the back of my mind, but my questions would have to wait.

Sitting back down in the same seat, I took a quick glance at Potter, who continued to focus his eyes on anything other than me. Where Granger seemed to at least be a little relived, Potter was anything but. Just knowing that I was causing his unease made me just the slightest bit more comfortable in his territory.

"It might take three weeks." He stated dryly. "It might take about three weeks to get the aurors ready and a plan hammered out perfectly.

"I think we can plan in three hours. And I've been through training myself, there's nothing you can't teach them in 4 days much less a week." I responded analytically, without thinking. Granger stayed uncharacteristically quiet, apparently more interested in my exchange with Potter than what we were actually talking about. I didn't miss the flare of Potter's nostrils, my comment affected him more than it should have.

"They're on the fritz. Something's not right with them, I'll need more than a week." He stated firmly, but it took no such effect on me, the bloke couldn't even look at me.

"Granger said there's a few we can trust no matter what. I'm presuming that includes most of your family and a few others. I doubt that that all the death eaters will be prepared to show up at once, at least not right away, and even if they did we'd have them outnumbered." I argued.

"I prefer to be safe and just rally up as many aurors as I can for this, which will take time."

"Time that we don't have." I snapped back. Potter was being either annoying on purpose, or overly cautious by default. Either way, I didn't have the patience for his antics.

"We'll have to make time then." He finally turned to me, glaring right at me. I held his gaze, far from intimidated.

"People are dying, Granger was almost one of them, we don't have a week to spare, and we certainly don't have three. You should at least be able to agree on _that_." I sneered. He became even more frigid at my mention of Granger and he seemed on the verge of losing his temper.

"_Hermione_ can handle herself." He emphasized her name simply to fuel my annoyance and I barked a dry laugh at his hypocrisy.

"Didn't you just throw a fit an hour ago about how she was _not_ able to handle herself? I was simply trying to make a point about how ridiculous it is to prolong this mission any further. I'm unconcerned with Granger's safety, seeing as I'll be handling that matter _personally_, however many of our other targets will be less equipped, and the longer we leave them vulnerable the better chance we have at finding another murder." I snarled at him. I hadn't even realized that the remark about Granger's safety wasn't just thrown in to annoy him, I meant it. I shuddered at my attachment to her, but tried to let it brush off my shoulders.

"Can you do it in two weeks?" I was surprised to hear Granger's soft but firm voice next to me, but I looked forward, waiting for Potter's answer.

"I can try. We have to outline a plan first." He finally answered, and I rubbed my temples to try and soothe my horrifying headache. If I had to say anything good about him, Potter was thorough these days, which meant that I had a long conversation ahead of me.

"It wasn't that bad, and two weeks…that's not too long. I'm sure it'll be fine." Granger seemed to be reassuring herself rather than me as we briskly walked to the apparition point together nearly three hours later.

"I still think if we'd pestered him a bit longer he would've settled for just one week." I grumbled, trying not to let it bother me, after all the last thing I wanted to do was stay at the Potter residence any longer.

"I'd rather not stress him out even further, if you haven't noticed he's been under quite a large amount of stress." She sighed.

"And you haven't?" I argued, gripping her arm to stop her in her tracks. "We're here." I added when she looked at me in confusion.

"Oh, right, sorry." She mumbled after a moment. I fought the concern that I had at her peculiar demeanor and decided that she would tell me all about her little conversation with Potter when we got back to her flat, no need to stress her any further. She pulled out her wand quickly, and I winced as she reverted my identity back so no one but the two of us would recognize me. She shoved her wand back into her pocket before she took a hesitant step towards me and looked up at me questioningly. The helpless awkwardness that she'd probably developed these last four years living alone were slightly entertaining and definitely endearing. I wrapped my arms around her and hid my smirk in her hair. When I was satisfied that she was holding to me tightly enough, I relished in the feeling for a few unnecessary moments before apparating us back to muggle London, very near her flat.

It didn't slip my notice that after our feet were planted firmly on the ground she continued to cling to me for a measurable amount of time. I didn't mind, however I couldn't stop my mind from wandering, and eventually I had to nudge her away. She seemed indifferent. Her expression showed no signs of distress, however I knew her mind was racing under the surface.

"What are you thinking?" I blurted before I had the chance to edit. She grabbed my hand in the same clumsy manner and I smiled, obliging. We began to walk towards her flat slowly as she finally answered my question.

"Harry took it better than I'd expected him to. I thought for sure he'd take a personal attack regimen on you, but instead he was far more objective." She pondered in that same blank tone.

"Well that's good isn't it?" I asked. I felt odd in hearing that Potter hadn't gone for the jugular. The fact that he was taking the higher road so to speak was both irritating and helpful of him. Perhaps I was just irritated that he was so helpful. I shook the train of thought from my mind.

"Yeah, it was good. It just makes me think that somewhere along the line, someone is going to make it that much worse, you know?" I thought about her question for a moment, but the answer was too obvious.

"I'm sure Weasley will have more than a handful of things to say, if that's what you're implying." I shrugged, unconcerned.

"Well obviously, but that's not what I'm getting at. I just feel like I'm overlooking some huge detail of why that was so easy." She trailed off and I let out a laugh.

"That was hardly easy Granger." I scoffed. She paused at the door to her flat before leading both of us inside. "I mean if I remember correctly you might as well have been hyperventilating while we waited for the almighty chosen one to pass judgment on us." I snickered. She grinned and smacked my shoulder playfully while she took off her coat.

"I don't know. Maybe I'm overthinking a bit…" She sighed.

"A bit? You're always overthinking, a lot." I smirked

"Speaking of which, is that what we're supposed to do these next two weeks, just overthink this case to death?" She asked, leaning against the fireplace and crossing her arms over her chest. She looked bloody exhausted.

"It wouldn't hurt to have some free time. I'm sure we could find something to do Granger." I grinned. She smiled and blushed deeper than I'd seen her ever blush before. I felt a pinch in my stomach at her embarrassment, her shyness was almost a little _sexy_.

"However, in all seriousness," I began, clearing my throat as I stalked over to her, stopping when I was just a few inches from her. "We should both train with the aurors at least a bit, especially since you managed to convince Potter to put you on the field for this." I said softly, and she nodded absently, distracted yet again by the closeness of our bodies. I breathed in her scent and didn't care to move. I could stay there forever and not mind it.

The blissful silence did not last long though. Her stomach gurgled in hunger and she blushed yet again. But I let out a chuckle, Granger seemed to always be forgetting to eat. It wasn't until that moment that I remembered the plans I'd made so much earlier with Daisy and grinned in spite of my excellent timing, grabbing her hand and leading her down the familiar hallway to her study.

"Sorry, I didn't realize the time. I must be hungry." She quipped, obviously embarrassed.

"You never realize the time, but it doesn't matter, I handled dinner plans tonight." I smirked.

"What do you mean?" She shifted back and forth nervously, obviously uncomfortable with being surprised. She glanced to the door of her study and I could almost hear her outraged thoughts, as though I'd be daft enough to screw anything up inside it. I rolled my eyes in spite of her, annoyed with her lack of faith in me.

"Since our last date was a bit…uncomfortable, I decided the second one should make you feel quite…at home." Her face contorted in excited confusion as she opened her mouth to speak, but before she could I pushed open the door smugly, stealing away her words.

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><p><strong>an Blah Guys, I'm so sorry this took so long! Unfortunately for all of you I'm back at University, so the updates are going to take longer. Don't fret, I'm not giving up on the story (I don't think I could stand to) however depending on the amount of work I have the updates will be slower. Hopefully this chapter was alright :) I rewrote that conversation between Harry and Hermione about 70 times so I hope you all like it. Please read and review! Reviews seriously make my life and they always help me write faster. Next couple chapters will have some interesting developments, I hope you enjoy speculating! **

**-Onalee **


	15. A Curious Lust

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor his wizarding world. That's JKRowlings job. **

"Merlin, you're joking!" I spluttered over my butter beer, holding in what I assumed would be an obnoxious laugh.

"I am not joking in the slightest." He replied smoothly, a smirk gracing his lips.

"Gods, what did you do with all of them?" I couldn't help myself now, I was trembling with laughter, barely getting out my words.

"Naturally I pinned them on my walls so I could worship them at night, what do you think I did? My rubbish bin has seen far too many wasted Chocolate frog cards." He rolled his eyes, and I lost myself in another fit of laughter.

"Just Harry?" I asked again.

"Just Potter." He rolled his eyes, but I could tell he was on the verge of laughter too. "I bet I've had nearly 200 of them, and he was on every single one."

"That's ridiculous. I remember the first time I saw myself on a chocolate frog card… blimey it was surreal." I laughed again. He cocked an eyebrow at me.

"I wouldn't have even known you'd gotten yourself on one, not that it surprises me in the slightest." He grumbled, half joking. I nudged him in the arm playfully, sending goose bumps across my skin. He snatched my hand lightly and pulled me closer to him, so that my head was resting on his shoulder comfortably. Tingles ran up my spine and as I took in his masculine scent. It nearly made me dizzy with a certain…lust. I took in the room once more, still finding the phenomenon slightly overwhelming.

He'd set up a romantic picnic style dinner for both of us in the study, but that was far from the best part. There were candles everywhere. Dozens and dozens off short, tall, wide and thin ivory candles lit the room in a husky glow. The twinkling of the little white flames made it easy to see the silky cushions on the floor, where a shallow table filled with my favorite foods hovered. It was such a simple idea, but it was so overdone that it became almost opulent. Normally I would have panicked at the thought of him moving anything around in the room that I'd come to greet as my sanctuary, but it was just so romantic that it dissolved any desire I had to protest. It was absolutely _lovely._

"What are you thinking of?" He murmured into my hair. The thickness of his voice sent a fresh set of goose-bumps to erupt on my skin. I was glad that his position didn't allow him to see the flush of my cheeks.

"How beautiful it looks in here." I answered timidly. Although the physical came naturally with Malfoy, the verbal communication needed a bit of work. He made me nervous in a girlish and impish way that I was embarrassed to admit. My sentences either came out far too strong, or much too soft. I got the sense that he never spoke his mind, the silences were brutal as I watched him carefully calculate his words in his head, obviously becoming frustrated with the lack of suave he was used to having with such ease.

"I thought it looked rather nice." He commented, his breath closer to my neck than before. I tried to suppress a violent shudder, but it hardly went unnoticed.

"Cold?" He asked aloud, summoning a blanket wordlessly to wrap around the both of us. It was so strange, having another person share this flat with me, much less having them do something for me. I was used to being independent and it was kind of nice, being taken care of sometimes, not that it was something I needed, or that I would ever rely on.

"What are your plans?" I asked him without thinking, finding myself relax in against him. He stiffened momentarily and I bit my lip, counting the seconds it took him to relax once more.

"What do you mean?" He asked carefully, only letting his muscles loosen a bit.

"After all this, what do you want to do? Are you going to keep working for the ministry?" It seemed like a stupid question even as I asked it. The ministry had been watching him for years and it hardly seemed like he'd want to keep working for them, but I asked anyway. My curiosity was burning, where would he live, where would he work?

"My Mother would like to travel." He commented, his words were composed very carefully. He snaked his arm around my waist, making my stomach lurch in anticipation. I grinned inwardly at how natural it felt.

"I guess I imagined that I'd join her for a while. Then when I was ready I'd take over my father's business. I still look over it every so often, but right now it's being run by an old business associate of my Father. It's all going rather well. Nearly any profit we make sends itself straight to a post-war charity anyway." He shrugged, seemingly uninterested.

"That's what you want to do?" I asked, unsure. These questions seemed so entirely personal, but the fact that I wasn't looking at him helped put me at ease. He was silent for a moment longer than usual and I was afraid I'd made him angry.

"I've had my future paved out for me as long as I can remember. I don't know any other way." He didn't sound angry, sad or even confused, and yet I pitied him. I pitied his complacency and willingness to let others control how he spends his life. For a moment I was sad for him until I realized that I'd been doing the same thing for years. I didn't know what I wanted either.

"I feel the same way." I answered him meekly, as though I wasn't even talking to him at all and in a way that surprised me. I was so comfortable in that moment, I found him so relatable that I'd let my guard down and admitted something out loud to myself and to him. I'd never felt a stronger connection to the man next to me. The passionate hate I held for him for so many years didn't even come close to the potent intimacy of the comment I'd just made.

"Looks like we have more in common than we thought." His voice was draught with exhaustion and I too felt the heaviness of a long day wearing on my body. While the minutes passed in comfortable silence I kept thinking to myself that I should get up and head to my room but my body was just so happy. I couldn't remember the last time I'd felt so _warm_.

I blinked open my eyes, letting out a long sigh. I'd become accustomed to waking up in my study over the years, but this morning was different. I sat up quickly and noted the time in disbelief. It was nearly 11 in the morning, I hadn't slept that late in as long as I could remember, possibly even ever! I surveyed my thoughts for a moment and came to the conclusion that I hadn't slept that well in _years_, and it was anything but difficult to know why. The blanket I was tangled in still smelled like him and although at some point I was obviously moved to my favorite sofa I got the feeling that he'd spent the night in the study as well. Bewildered by my own hunch I brought the blanket to my face and inhaled deeply, his scent was strong, he had definitely stayed.

"Odd morning ritual you've got there Granger." I froze in panic, the blanket still smothering my face. My eyes shot right to the chair he'd been sitting in, apparently casually reading over the prophet, fully dressed. He has a smug and knowing smile on his face that made my cheeks burn with embarrassment. I groaned inwardly releasing my grip on the blanket and covering my face with my hands instead.

"We've got training in an hour. I've set it up with Potter. I'm going to floo off to my mother's until then. She's been dreadfully pestering me to drop by in her letters." He chuckled, rolling his eyes. He stood slowly and I finally lifted my eyes to look at him. I hadn't expected him to be so close. I couldn't think with him so close.

"Morning." I croaked, unable to say anything else. Another smile played on the edges of his lips and he bent down and placed a chaste kiss on my cheek.

"Morning." He replied, and strode off to the fireplace without another word. I flopped myself back onto the sofa, entirely embarrassed with myself. Hoping that my most recent blushing wouldn't become permanent I headed for my shower where my brain began to properly process the night before.

My heart seemed to be beating faster and faster as I contemplated that Malfoy may have spent the night in the study with me. Although it was a bit far-fetched, just the idea of it sent a chill up my spine. The romantic and rather grand gesture of our date had certainly put me more at ease than before. It was an odd feeling, although I couldn't read him, I wanted to know how he thought and what he was thinking. He confused me, infuriated me and captivated me in way that I hadn't ever experienced before. The physical aspect was somewhat concerning and intriguing at the same time and I could have thought about it for hours.

In the few times that Malfoy and I had touched I'd felt invincible. My over-analyzing seemed to cease upon contact with him. My whole body would relax as my heart speed up to almost an embarrassing rate. I could always feel my mind stop asking so many questions and start to take in his scent and the way our hands fit together in such an airtight manner. When we were touching I was so much more at ease with him. I felt like I could just listen to the way his voice sounded for hours. It felt like a magnetic pull between us, an urge that forced me to be closer to him. I wanted to touch every part of him, to trace the lines on his face and search the planes of his body. I wanted to discard his immaculate clothing and just stare at him with eyes of not only lust, but curiosity. I wanted to learn him inside and out.

I was a woman, I'd lusted before, but not like this. I didn't just want Malfoy; I wanted to _know_ him too. I wanted every bit of him, good and bad. I'd always had a curious nature, but I'd never been so enthralled with another person in my life. I may have been devoted to Ron because it was supposed to work, but with Malfoy it was the complete opposite. It wasn't supposed to work with Draco, and yet somehow it _did._ Maybe that was what fuelled the fire of my curiosity, wondering what made the notion of Malfoy and me as a couple work. Whatever it was that had me needing him near, it was stronger than any feeling I'd ever had about Ron. As I stood there, leaning against the wet shower tiles and letting the water pour over me I couldn't place how I felt, nor why I felt that way and it scared me. I liked to be in control, and not having power over a situation was not something I was used to. To have such an unquenchable thirst for Malfoy was unexplainable and although I should only feel curious and a bit scared I would have been lying if I said that it didn't excite me too.

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><p>.<p>

"Watch it Potter!" I snarled shooting another defensive spell during training. It'd been four hours and Potter made it clear in the first two minutes that he'd be testing my patience. It was more than training, he was trying to best me and it was finally starting to get on my nerves.

"A little rusty…_Evans_?" He snapped. I gritted my teeth, letting his retorts fuel my interest in our duel. He matched me evenly, step for step, but that was no surprise. I'd undergone countless auror trainings with him; however he never had such a personal vendetta. I'd never been fond of him obviously, but it only drove me further. Now that he knew who I was he was insistent on making our duel physical and verbal. He argued that he was only trying to goad me, like any death eater would, but I wasn't stupid, he was trying to get the best of me. He was trying to irritate me on a far more personal level than ever before.

I snapped my head to the left on instinct when I heard Granger let out a girlish scream and my wand flew from my hands in the same instant. Hermione seemed to have been bested once again by none other than Longbottom and was apparently quite frustrated over it. I smirked until Potter took it upon himself to thrust my discarded wand at me.

"You would have been dead." His voice was low and threatening. I bit back a retort and clenched my fists. His 'high and mighty' attitude was making me livid. He was arrogant to think that I would have taken my eyes off of him for even one second if he was an actual death eater. I strode over to Granger with purpose and threw my hand towards where she was laying on the grass, obviously drained. She took in my hard expression and frowned, but grasped my hand anyway, allowing me to heave her to her feet. The minor touch seemed to unclench my jaw, letting me have one good relaxing breath that was filled with Hermione's scent.

"One more round tonight." Potter shouted, tensing me once more. He was on my very last nerve. Granger gave my hand a light squeeze and I allowed myself to look at her. She was shifting nervously back and forth on her feet, apparently distraught by the tension between Potter and me. She was covered in grass stains and bruises, no doubt from ducking and rolling all over the place. She'd been taking on two at once all day, insisting that she could handle it. I grimaced, but I relaxed just a bit none the less. I still couldn't explain nor identify what it was about her that made me so lax, but it was alluring to say the least.

I'd struggled all day as I threw glances at her from across the training field. Although it was only a simulation with no chance whatsoever of vital injury, I still felt myself needing to be near her, to step between her opponents and demolish them myself. Potter had taken a notice to my apparent distraction and had lectured me on it all day. I knew things wouldn't be pleasant between us but I'd counted on having Granger there as a buffer. I couldn't contain the bitter comments I threw back at him even though I knew I was only fueling the fire. I couldn't decide if I'd liked him better when he was friendly or a being an outright git. Either way he was irritating but at least when he didn't know who I was, he wasn't irritating on _purpose_, it was just his obnoxious personality.

I tried to block out his voice when he started rattling off components and placing them on the field. Granger gave my hand another squeeze when he called off her name, giving me a pointed glare before she jogged off to my left.

"I suppose that leaves us paired up yet again Potter." I sneered as he approached me. It probably hadn't helped that Hermione decided to alter the charm so Potter saw who I really was as well, she said it would help him get over the shock of the whole thing but I was now convinced that she'd been wrong. It just made him angrier by the second, as though he had a right to be.

"Is there a problem with that?" He snapped again, squaring up to me. He was in my personal space and I was close to clocking him just to relieve the tension.

"Of course not." I muttered through gritted teeth.

It didn't take long for the rest of the aurors to finish their duels. There were about 16 of us, a rather small group compared to the mass auror training that was usually standard practice. Potter had insisted that the 16 of us who were manning the upcoming mission train separately, just to be ready. Auror training wasn't meant to last this long, the longest run I'd ever had was three hours of straight dueling. Both Potter and I were exhausted, in fact if we were attacked on the way home from this neither of us would be able to even put up a fight.

"Give it up Potter, everyone's finished." I grunted as I dodged another one of his curses. The rest of the aurors had gathered around us, almost as though they were taking notes, it only added to my annoyance. At this point I was nearly enraged by Potter's tactics, he was so angry with me that he was willing to completely exhaust himself to get a point across. I had to give up or Potter had to call it a draw, neither of which I saw happening, he was too big-headed.

"Death eaters won't care that you're exhausted, they won't call a draw!" He shouted, tumbling to the left and shooting a 'silencio' my way for effect. I scoffed and laughed dryly.

"A death eater would have been long dead by now, call it off!" I sneered, my rage ensuing.

"Bugger off M—_Evans_!" He shouted, I was apparently getting to him. Before I could reply my wand flew from my hand and if Potter didn't look just as confused, I would have had to admit my defeat.

"That's enough." Granger stood holding both our wands, her lips pressed in a tight line as she spoke in her "no-nonsense" tone. I grimaced; displeased that she'd so easily disarmed me.

"You're both too tired to resume dueling, seeing that you let an outside force disarm you. The rest of the duel was pointless." She spoke with authority I'd never heard her use before and for once in his life Potter was speechless. I felt like starting a slow clap at Potter's sudden lapse for words but thought better of it, catching my wand as Granger stepped between us and tossed them in our general directions.

"Hermione, you don't have authority to do that." Potter snapped. I gritted my teeth as he stood a foot from Granger, speaking in far too threatening of a tone. I took a step towards them, but faltered, deciding that now was probably not the best time to make a spectacle of myself. I watched him closely though, waiting for him to cross the line.

"It was getting out of hand." She said clearly, standing her ground.

"Next time, I'll be the judge of that." He said clearly and he stepped back from her. While Potter rattled off about the good work and the schedule I approached Granger as discreetly as I could. Her dainty hands were balled up into fists as she stared at the back of Potter's head. If looks could kill he would've been long dead.

"Let's go." She grunted, snatching my hand rather roughly to disapparate. The moment we arrived in her flat she threw my hand from hers and crossed her arms over her chest, consumed with anger. She stomped about the flat with no apparent destination, muttering under her breath in hostile tones. Initially I was prepared to fight with her. Her body language heavily suggested that she was for some ridiculous reason upset with _me_. I wouldn't even entertain that notion considering the hell Potter had put me through all day. As far as I was concerned he was lucky I hadn't hexed him when his back was turned. As began to block out her incessant and rather irritating muttering I caught the last bit of her rambling.

"Can you believe that, I mean he didn't even try to get along with you! And that last bit, when he almost used your name? I mean Merlin I thought he was more professional than that." She threw her arms up in the air and I couldn't contain the grin that crept onto my face when I finally understood. She was mad at Potter. Although I knew he was in the wrong I didn't think that Granger would see it that way and I took pleasure in the fact that I didn't have to convince her of it. Suddenly her flustered hair and angry flush wasn't so irritating, it was almost a little _sexy. _She observed my change of expression with confusion and I closed the distance between us with just two long strides.

"Aren't you mad?" She asked in disbelief.

"Your tantrum may have dissipated an ounce of my irritation." I shrugged, and gripped her upper arms, pulling her lips up to meet my own. She didn't hesitate even a moment before clasping her arms tightly and comfortably around my waist and moving her soft lips against and with mine. I slid one hand up to tangle in her mess of hair and the other down to the small of her back, pulling her even closer against me. My gut clenched with need. I wanted her closer, I _needed_ her closer.

In an instant her tongue slid past the boundary of my teeth and began exploring my mouth in an exquisitely inexperienced manner. She wasn't expert with her moves, but that made her snogging all the more unexpected and even thrilling. We meshed perfectly, she kept me on my toes and I swept her off her feet. It took all the will power I had not to shred off her clothes and explore her even more intimately. As though I wasn't enthralled enough with her she began to slide her hands across my back and chest almost painfully slowly. The sensation was so erotic that I couldn't process it. It was more than just a sexual burning, it was a physical need. I lost myself in her, allowing my own hands to roam across her hips and the sides of her torso. She reached up and settled her arms around my neck, pulling herself against me and running her fingers through my hair. I suppressed a moan when her chest rubbed across me and begrudgingly I pulled away before I was forced to ravage her on my own animalistic accord.

"Sorry. I was...erm a bit...excited I guess." She explained when she finally got the hint and took a step back, completely breathless. Her deep pink cheeks and small embarrassed smile combined with the way her chest was heaving up and down had me regretting pulling back, in fact I couldn't believe I'd done such a thing. My desire for her in that moment was more than just intense.

"Don't apologize." I managed after a moment, surprised by how out of breath I was as well. I reveled in the small smile that spread across her features before she spoke.

"I'm going to have a shower now." She was sill stumbling over her words and it was possibly the most endearing thing I'd ever heard in my life.

"I'll meet you in the study later?" I coughed, hoping that it was where she planned on sleeping once again. I wasn't sure why but at that comment she broke out into a full grin and nodded reaching up to wrap her arms around my neck once more. I tensed, unable to move. I was painfully aroused, and I was doing my best to keep her from that fairly obvious assessment, however I couldn't care less when her lips met mine.

This kiss was much slower and softer, less fueled by need. I stilled my hands, keeping them to my sides, knowing that if I even reached out and touched her I wouldn't be able to stop myself.

"I'll be back." She pulled away just an inch as she said it, her lips brushing across my own before detangling from my body and stumbling away in a drunken fashion. I stared after her in disbelief, I'd never wanted to ravage a woman more than Hermione Granger.

I stowed away in my room moments later and relieved myself, but the hollow burn of desire for her still settled deep in my chest.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

"You don't have to do that Ginny." Harry said quietly, but he relaxed as I tended to his shoulders once more. He'd been so uptight lately and I knew it was work stressing on him. I pursed my lips thinking of the Malfoy incident, I knew it hadn't helped and the fact that Hermione sprung even more problems concerning their friendship on him was irritating in and of itself, Harry had enough to deal with.

"What happened?" I whispered, continuing to kneed his shoulders. He let out a sigh and shook his head.

"I don't know, Malfoy just bloody irritates me." He grumbled. "As much as I support Hermione or whatever else I just don't get what she sees in him. Plus I can't deal with any more secrets, they're too stressful. I hate keeping secrets within my job and now _this_? It's just annoying. _He's_ annoying." He stood up and faced me, gesturing for me to sit on the sofa.

"I can't imagine it'd be easy." I replied, trying not to get upset myself. I was so easily enraged these days and Harry's continuous bad mood was not helping. He knelt in front of the sofa beginning to massage my swollen feet as he spoke.

"It's not, and I hate keeping things from Ron. He's going to be blindingly mad when he finds out I knew and didn't tell him. I'm not even entirely sure that I shouldn't." Hearing his inner-struggle was difficult for me because I felt the same way. Sure, Hermione trusted us with her secret but it was just as deceptive to tell Ron as it was to keep it from him.

"I agree. Just give it a few days, take a break." I chided, but he was already shaking his head.

"I wish I could, but I can't, not with Malfoy shoving this mission down my throat. It's in two weeks and I can't imagine why he's being so obnoxious about it, he _knows_ how much work this is for me, especially in such a short time frame, I feel like I'd going bloody mad." He sighed, exasperated. He gave up on my feet and collapsed into the sofa next to me. I took his hand softly and kissed each of his knuckles.

"You'll do just fine Harry Potter." I said gingerly. He closed his eyes, still shaking his head.

"I don't know about that Ginny." He sighed.

"Well I do, and I know you." She smiled. "Besides, your _son_ and I believe in you." I smiled and it took him a moment before popping his eyes open to stare at me.

"Our son?" He asked, a grin breaking across his face. I nodded as he took me into his arms and held on tight. "Wow, a son." He whispered. And he kissed the top of my stomach before shooting me another wide grin and meeting my lips. That was the Harry that I knew and he would be just fine, we all would.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

**A/N Hellllo, sorry it took me so long, but there you have it! I hope you all like it, I was a little rushed in the editing process so it might be a bit rough, please be kind :) I hope you liked Ginny POV, I wanted to throw in something that showed a bit of Harry's softer side and his reasoning. Hopefully it worked well. Please read and review, it honestly makes my night, and I write much faster when you do :) Let me know what you think! **

**-Onalee **


	16. Breaking Point

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor his wizarding world. That's JKRowlings Job. **

"I'm still not sure about this." Malfoy groaned, lingering in the entrance to the study. I glanced up from the parchments I'd been going over and let my eyes drag up and down him for just a moment too long. My stomach fluttered slightly.

"It'll be fine." I assured him.

"Potter's been nothing but an arrogant arse all week and now you'd like to assure me that this will go just _fine_?" He scoffed. "Oh I'm sure it'll go on swimmingly." He mocked me, smoothing out his button down shirt.

"Remember why we're doing this, the Weasleys need to _like_ you before they find out who you are." I tried, standing up to wrap my arms around his waist. He looked annoyed none the less.

"Please, it will not make a miniscule difference once they find out who I am and you know it!" He snapped. But he returned the gesture and clasped his hands together at the small of my back.

"I hardly think that's true." I argued, but my heart wasn't in it, he was probably right.

"Potter was practically in love with me until he found out and now it's all he can do to stop himself from literally trying to kill me." He rolled his eyes, exhaling deeply. Neither of us were energized enough to argue and I silently suspected that Harry would feel the same way.

I rested my head on his chest in defeat, deciding that it was probably not the best time to test his patience, I still couldn't believe I'd gotten him to agree to have dinner at the burrow anyway. Harry had been especially annoying this week and I suspected it wasn't just Draco getting to him. I knew the mission and the secrets weren't helping and the stress of their first baby was probably part of it too. All of that aside though, he was being far too hard on Malfoy and it was starting to get on my nerves.

"I know." I said in a small voice.  
>"We should probably go. Before I change my mind." He grumbled, slithering out of my grip to put on his cloak. I frowned, momentarily confused by the sudden rejection.<p>

"Before you start putting other blasted thoughts in my mind." He rolled his eyes and I let out a laugh. The truth was overwhelming when I started to think about it though; I was beginning to feel irrepressible sexual desires for none other than Malfoy himself.

I slid into my cloak as well deciding that I would probably never be ready to introduce Ron to anyone I was seeing, especially not Malfoy. I bit my lip as I took his outstretched hand, ready for apparition. I hadn't remembered until just then that the last time either of us had seen Ron was tense, well more than tense, it was awkward. The incident at the hospital had left Draco and Ron nearly hating each other, and Ron didn't even know who he was yet. I sighed and Malfoy shot me a questioning look, deciding that I didn't want to answer it, I apparated us instead.

"What was that?" He asked when our feet touched the ground. I slid my hand in his as we began walking we both took our time.

"I was just recalling the last encounter you had with Ron." I mumbled, looking down and blushing.

"Oh right." He bit back a chuckle. "It was mildly humorous you know."

"I didn't find it to be particularly funny." I mumbled.

"If you plan on being in such a disagreeable mood, don't expect me to stay Granger." He stopped abruptly in his path, about 50 yards from the burrow.

"Sorry." I sighed, facing him. Truth be told, I was too exhausted to argue. "This is stressful, all of this is stressful." I shrugged, trying not to get my head caught up in the situation. I was scared and even more so I was nervous for how this would all turn out. The Weasleys were my family and my friends, other than my parents they were all I had to lose. I looked up into the eyes I'd come to know as Malfoy's and suppressed a small smile. I saw a hope in him, a desire and an ambition that I'd never known before. He was captivating and he made me feel like I was alive again. I'd almost forgotten how it felt to feel so alive. If anything was worth risking my friendships for, it was Malfoy. He began walking at a brisk pace this time, looping his arm around my waist, apparently ready to take control of the situation.

"Believe me, I get it." He said in a humorless tone as we reached the door. To my relief, Ginny was the one to answer and gave us both a wordless and rather forced looking smile. I frowned in reciprocation, tossing her a questioning glance. She ignored me promptly, and gestured for us to come inside.

"Hermione! How are you feeling dear?" The warm voice of Mrs. Weasley relieved me once more. She threw her arms around me unabashedly and I was momentarily reminded of my own mother.

"I'm feeling much better thanks." I grinned, and I didn't have to fake it.

"You must be exhausted, Harry says the three of you have been working far too hard. Take a break from training, you'll get too fatigued to do anything else." She scolded. I knew she'd given Harry the same lecture. I took a silent pleasure knowing that I wasn't the only one who thought Harry was overworking us.

"Hopefully it'll all be over soon anyways." I replied as she pulled away.

"Good to see you again Dominick." She beamed genuinely at Draco, pulling him into an embrace that he was not expecting. I stifled a laugh at his expression.

"Hermione, how are you?" I spun to hear the direction from where Ron's voice was coming, and saw him much closer to me than anticipated. My stomach was in loser knots than usual, but knots none the less.

"I'm well. How are you Ron?" I asked sincerely, an awkward and unpleasant blush filling my cheeks.

"I've been worse." He noted. He seemed to appraise me for a moment, and reached out, taking my elbow gingerly. I reluctantly complied, confused by his action.

"You're covered in bruises." He noted, seemingly appalled. The yellow bruises that dotted all along my body were no surprise to me, I'd expected them the very first day of training. I was mildly irritated by his comment, knowing that I'd been bruised like this almost the entire time we were together, and it was _now_ that he seemed to notice.

"It comes in the job description." Malfoy quipped, at my side in an instant. Ron released my arm and nodded tightly at him.

"Evans." He said through gritted teeth. My heart hammered in my chest at the interaction that was going just a little too well. Before either party had a chance to say anything else to one another Arthur clapped Draco on the back, beginning to ask him various questions that were sure to irritate him. I grinned selfishly and took what might be my only opportunity to get away from Ron without too much of a fuss. I wasn't two steps to the left when I heard another voice beckoning out to me.

"Hermione, can I talk to you?" Harry seemed to appear out of nowhere, and looked at me with a soft expression. I glanced back to Draco, his back to me as he nodded reluctantly at whatever it was that Arthur was talking about. I bit my lip, hesitating, but nodded and decided to follow Harry anyway. Maybe in my short absence Draco would bond with someone, though it was unlikely, stranger things had happened, I thought.

I followed Harry wordlessly through the kitchen and out the back door, where he turned to face me. I didn't know what I expected from him. He seemed like a different person lately. Half of me pitied him, and the other half decided he was being a git.

"I apologize." His voice cut through the crisp winter air with purpose, as though to be sure I'd heard him. I took it in for a moment, cautious of his words.

"For what exactly?" I asked tentatively, the last thing I wanted was for there to be yet another misunderstanding between the both of us.

"For being hard on you this week. And on him." He grunted out the last bit, but in all honesty I was surprised. I was more than surprised, I was a little impressed. Although in a perfect world Malfoy and Harry would be great friends I never even expected Harry to accept him. I hoped for him to, but I never expected him to. I almost asked him to repeat himself, because I never thought I'd see the day that Harry would apologize for being rude to Malfoy.

"Thank you." I said in a small voice. I thought about his seemingly sincere apology and almost smiled, maybe he wouldn't be quite so difficult tonight. He nodded tightly but remained tense, obviously needing to get something else out. My stomach knotted as I waited for him to speak, trying to be patient with him. I figured I owed him to at least be a little patient, he was trying to be nice.

"You need to tell Ron, today." He blurted loudly. I stared at him for a moment, until his words sank in.

"Tell him what?" I was dumbfounded, something that did not happen often.

"Tell him about Malfoy." I searched for sarcasm in his tone, but found none. My heart was beating fast and hard. I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry. He was insane.

"You're joking." I stated dully. I couldn't handle this request right now, maybe not ever. If he was serious, he was also mental. If he was joking it was not funny.

"Keeping secrets from Ron is not something I do. I'm glad you entrusted me with this, and I'm trying to work on our friendship but I'm stressed enough as it is. I'm not going to risk my friendship with him over Malfoy." I was listening to him but I couldn't register his words. It felt like a betrayal. As rational or irrational as his logic may be, it was a betrayal. He'd been picking on Malfoy all week and now he was bullying me into telling Ron about him?

"I know you're stressed Harry, but you promised me that you would support me in this." I spoke as calmly as I could, but after being pushed to my physical limits this week I was not in any mood to be patient with him. After all, he was hardly being patient with me.

"I do support you, but I'm not going to lie to Ron. I'll support you in anything you want, but I won't put my friendship with Ron in jeopardy for anyone. I wouldn't do that to you either. If he was dating around with someone you hated I wouldn't keep it a secret from you." His voice was getting louder, aggravating me further.

"Of course you would! Listen to how stupid that sounds, you would never approach me and tell me something for the sole purpose of making me upset, I know that! I know you." I spluttered, my breathing becoming heavier and strained. As hard as I tried to stay calm it wasn't working.

"I've made my decision. I need you to tell Ron." He said seriously. I gawked at him before I could even respond. My insides boiled with rage. His irrationality was probably what upset me most about his so-called "decision".

"Where do you get off having the audacity to consider yourself in a position of authority over me? In training you may have the upper hand, which you have exercised so excessively that I have bruises to prove it, but in my personal life you're a bystander." I fumed, clenching my fists at my sides and fighting to keep my voice even.

"My friendship with both you and Ron are at stake here. I don't want to lose either of you. I'm going to tell Ron if you don't." He continued as though I hadn't spoken, infuriating me further.

"That's illegal, not to mention it affects our mission! If word gets out about Draco we have no bait, NONE. All the work we've been doing will be useless!" I seethed, imploring him to reason with me.

"It's Ron, he's not going to mess it up." Harry snapped.

"Are you bloody joking, he messes up everything!" I regretted the words as soon as they'd left my lips, but they needed to be said, they needed to be _heard_. For once in my life I was not concerned about Ron's feelings.

"That was a bit insensitive don't you think Hermione." He clipped.

"No, I don't. I think it's insensitive that you're making decisions about _my_ life and not caring how _I_ feel about them. Sorry if I'm not particularly mindful of Ron's feelings right now, but there are bigger things on the line here. I think it's _insensitive_ that you don't care about what's best for me, best for our mission and ultimately our world. It's not safe for Ron to know." I said firmly.

"If you don't tell him he's going to keep thinking that you two are going to live happily ever after. I don't want the responsibility of making his life worse. I'm trying to do what's right. I'm not going to keep lying to him." Harry's words caught me off guard and again I wasn't reacting the way I'd like to.

"What are you talking about?" I demanded. As much as I wanted to think that Ron no longer had an effect on the way I lived my life, he did. I'd wanted Harry to pull me aside for years and tell me that Ron still had feelings for me, unfortunately for everyone he was about three months too late.

"The sooner he finds out the better." He concluded. I should have resisted further, but I was so irritated that I could scream. I wanted to hex him, and Ron, and myself.

"No." I stated. He appraised me for a moment.

"I'll do it." He challenged. I raised an eyebrow at him, gripping my wand tightly. He'd gotten on my last nerve this week and the fact that he was testing me wouldn't bode well for him.

"It's not good for the mission." I said through gritted teeth. If he wasn't going to do his job, someone had to.

"You're wrong." He spat.

"You're wrong!" I argued childishly, stomping away from him. He wasn't on my heels as I expected him to be and for that I was glad. The few steps it took me to get back to the door I tried my best to breathe deeply. I didn't want anyone to know that something was wrong. Fortunately, I'd been pretending to be okay for years now, I could hold out one more night.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

My momentary annoyance was abruptly cut off when I saw Granger finally come back through the door. It felt like hours that she'd been out there, though it could only have been a few minutes. I watched her chest rise and fall with a deep breath and knew that Potter had yet again ruined one of her days. I hid my scowl from Arthur Weasley and excused myself from the dull conversation, making my way through the many red-headed children that lined the floor of the burrow to her.

"Everything alright?" I mumbled in her ear, pulling her in for a much too short embrace.

"Fine." She whispered back. She might as well have told me that everything was falling apart, because the way she looked at me had me convinced that she was anything but fine, and Potter was surely to blame for that. It was either him or her jealous git of an ex. I had to stop myself from exploding in rage when he'd touched her earlier. I both hated and loved the protective nature that came out of me whenever it pertained to the witch I'd once loathed.

Spending the evening at the burrow was not an idea I had initially been fond of but after much quarrelling I decided that if I was ever going to get to know her extended family I should do so before they decided to hate my guts. Besides my cooperation would make for great leverage when I needed to settle a particularly nasty debate in the future. Now that I watched her sulk through the conversations amidst the small house I was sure that I'd been right; having a leisurely dinner with the Weasleys and Potters wasn't do-able.

She put on a brave face for the next hour as we moved through the obstrocity of the home known as the Burrow keeping light and meaningless conversations with countless redheads that seemed to brighten her mood if only in the slightest. She seemed to gain a bit of calm when touching me, or perhaps she was trying to make it a point to her extended family that she and I were somewhat of an item, without saying so outright. Whatever the reason for her physical contact, I wasn't complaining in the slightest. I was still mesmerized by the effect she had on me. Her soft and gentle touch could alter my mood entirely.

"Granger, what is it?" I persisted quietly in her ear an hour later. She'd lost all interest in the conversation at hand and was staring at the back door nervously. Potter had just entered with my least-favorite Weasley, whose expression was nothing but amused. I scowled again and focused on Granger. She was practically shaking, but before I had the chance to demand answers from her, Mrs. Weasley began insisting that everyone sit around the table for dinner. I practically stomped over to the table, pulling out Granger's chair for her before sitting down myself. The façade of light and pleasant conversation was wearing on me; I was going nutty trying to figure out what was wrong.

The banter around the table was plentiful, cheerful even, but I paid it no attention. While Granger laughed half-heartedly I watched anxiety fill her eyes. My nostrils flared in frustration. I'd never been this in tune with another person's emotions in my life, and if I had been I didn't care. It was different with Granger though, and I had a burning desire to fix it. It both prided and scared me that I cared about her happiness to this extent.

"Hermione, why aren't you eating?" Molly Weasley seemed not only distressed as she looked at her, but blatantly hurt.

"I'm just tired is all." She replied quickly, stirring her food.

"All the more reason to enjoy your meal, I heard that Harry has been working you quite hard." Molly threw Potter a dirty look and I suppressed a smirk at his outrage.

"Too hard probably, did you see those bruises mum!" Ron declared tactlessly with his mouth stuffed across the table. Granger blushed a deep crimson.

"Maybe you should give Hermione a break Harry, she looks simply ill." Molly muttered once more, turning back to her food.

"That's an understatement." Ron rolled his eyes. I narrowed my eyes in his direction. He really needed to learn to keep his mouth shut.

"Got a problem Evans? It's rude to stare." Potter had reached my very last nerve before he'd opened his mouth.

"Actually I do. I think you ought to stop treating us like bloody amateurs and wearing us out right before the mission Potter." I spat, meeting his gaze. I'd never been one to back down from confrontation and although I had no intentions of causing an argument tonight I couldn't help myself. The ginger Potter shifted uncomfortably beside him, grasping his forearm in an attempt to calm him. His set jaw told me it wasn't going to help.

"Just trying to make sure you're on the right side of things. We can't have you forgetting." He said through clenched teeth. His comeback hardly made sense, but it didn't take a genius to know that Potter liked to go for the low-blows, provoking me was a second nature to him.

"Stop." Granger muttered, but I was barely aware of her anymore. Besting Potter was something that I could and _would_ do, in front of his entire family.

"And _I'm_ the one who can't get over my prejudices." I rolled my eyes.

"Listen, I don't know what you're playing at" Potter rose from his chair and I did the same, never breaking eye contact. "but I'm_ trying _to make sure she's okay! You don't need to come to the trainings if you can't handle it!" He shouted.

"That's enough boys!" Molly chided, but it had gone too far. I was too worked up to quit. He'd been irritating me all week.

"Trying to make sure she's okay? Bullocks Potter, she was just attacked and not only are you allowing her on the field but you're wearing her out beforehand!" I sneered at him.

"Harry sit down." His wife pleaded.

"I'm getting _really_ tired of always being the bad guy here. Doing a couple good deeds doesn't change your character M—"

"Harry!" Granger hissed with fervor, but he didn't look at her.

"God Hermione, let it go, do what you want with your life but stop putting it on me to keep all your secrets." He mumbled. Granger opened her mouth to speak when I cut her off.

"_All_ her secrets? You don't know anything about her other than the fact that she's with me. Just because you fought a war together doesn't mean you can ignore her for years and then call her your best friend." I snapped. Granger drew back, but fumed beside me.

"That is IT!" Mrs. Weasley shouted. I winced but didn't even glance at her. The room had nearly cleared out around us without my notice, but Potter didn't seem to want to back down either.

"Not in my house!" She barked again.

"Let's go Harry." Ginny squealed her request weakly.

"She's been my best friend since we were eleven, we fought Voldemort together, I'm sure you haven't forgotten since you were degrading her the entire time." He grunted. Ginny gripped Potters arm tighter, her face stricken with panic.

"Yeah, what the bloody hell was that supposed to mean?" Shouted Ron a little late, as usual. Despite the argument he'd managed to continue stuffing his face.

"You're disgusting, you know that Weasley, didn't anyone ever teach you any manners?" I rolled my eyes, trying not to lose any further control of my emotions in the presence of company.

"We cared about Hermione while you were still calling her a mudblood, I don't know what she sees in you." Potter scowled.

"Stop it Harry, now!" whined his wife, urging him to sit down.

"I don't appreciate that _word_ Potter." I mumbled forcibly. My knuckles went white from gripping the table so hard.

"Not in my house Harry Potter." Molly fumed; she'd seemed to give up on trying to get us to leave.

"You sure appreciated it just a few years ago. Honestly Hermione what are you thinking! You could do so much better." Potter was practically shouting at her. I saw her clench her wand at her side, refusing to look at him. She was staring past him at the wall. "He's not worth it. I know things haven't been great but they can get better, Ron's better, and things are turning around, don't let this git barge in and ruin it, you don't—

"_Silencio!"_ Granger screeched with fervor I was unaware that she still had. Several things happened at once causing all the bystanders of the conversation to freeze in awe.

"Hermione!" Ron sounded surprised and appalled as he gaped at his best friend. George erupted in a fit of laughter and Molly looked utterly lost at the interaction.

"_Petrificus totalus!"_ Ginny groaned so unexpectedly that at first I was sure I'd been the intended. Granger stood frozen next to me. Without thinking I shot the counter curse at her, freeing her from her stillness and trained my wand on the Ginger witch. It was like an instinct to defend Granger at any cost.

"Watch it Malfoy!" Potter stood in front of his wife after being relieved from his silence and shouted with his wand outstretched. Two seconds of silence ticked by as the entire room took in his words.

"Who!" Ron was dumbfounded, more than that, he was enraged with confusion. His face began to turn puce as he reached for his wand.

"_Petrificus totalus_!" Granger whispered from my side. Ron froze, his expression even more livid than before.

"Gods, I'm sorry Ron." She muttered.

"You're meaning to tell me that this is Malfoy!" George laughed hysterically. Arthur and Angelina looked bewildered and Molly had left the scene entirely. Potter remained silent, his eyes still locked on me with his wand drawn.

"Please stop!" I heard Ginny's voice, but didn't look at her, though her distress was uncharacteristic for her, she was the least of my concerns.

"MALFOY?" I glanced to Ron who'd apparently been released from his body bind and now had his wand pointed at me.

"Shove off Ron!" Granger sneered, her wand at his chest. He didn't seem to know how to take that.

"Seriously!" Ginny wailed again.

"That's Malfoy?" He asked, focusing his rage and bewilderment on Granger. "Death-eater, ferret, prat of the century, son of Luscious, DRACO MALFOY?"

"HARRY!" Before I could register what had happened Hermione threw her wand to the ground in a movment so uncharacteristic of her that I did a double-take. She dove towards Ginny who was swayed back and forth violently, on the verge of unconsciousness.

"Help me get her to the fireplace!" She snapped at the momentarily confused Harry Potter. He looked down at Ginny, who'd fallen into Granger's arms willingly and began to shake. Potter didn't let a split second go by before he grabbed hold of her and the two of them led her to the fireplace, muttering about St. Mungo's as they erupted in emerald flames.

Turning back to Ron I thought that he might ignore the wellbeing of his only sister to try and duel me, but after throwing me a particularly nasty glare, he darted to the fireplace as well, and I followed. I didn't put away my wand, my guard was still high after the exchange at the burrow, and though I wasn't sure exactly what had happened to Potter's wife to be honest she wasn't the one I was concerned about.

"You shouldn't have started throwing around spells Hermione! The stress can't be good for her!" Potter said harshly, too close in proximity to Granger for my liking.

"_Me_? Maybe you shouldn't have let the entire point of our mission slip right in front of Ron!" She whispered.

"Just shut it I can't handle this right now!" He argued back.

"Grow up Harry." She seethed, folding her arms across her chest.

"Hermione! Listen," Weasley grasped her by the upper arms and I locked my jaw once again. I hadn't even seen him starting towards her and in this public venue, the last thing I wanted to do was overreact. "What the bloody hell are you thinking? Is that really him?" In a swift motion she shoved him back with a hand on his chest. I swelled with pride at her disgust and suppressed a smirk, still standing my ground to watch the exchange and step in if need be. I wanted more than anything to curse them both and take her home but it would only make things worse. I would hate to prove their point for them.

"I don't have to answer to you, or anyone for that matter." She said defiantly. Potter stepped between the two of them, speaking directly to Granger.

"Actually, you do, he's messing with our family, Ginny is in there right now because of—

"Oh please, don't even start! You're the one throwing insults at him over dinner—

"Maybe if you had just told Ron and hadn't started throwing spells around—

"Don't blame this on my Harry Potter!" She shouted back, uncaring now of her volume. I took a hesitant step forward, ready to end the conversation.

"Mr. Potter?" The meek voice of the healer came from across the room, freezing everyone on the spot. "She's going to be fine." The tension was released from Potter as he urgently followed to witch back through the doors and disappeared from sight, Ron was right on his heels.

I made to approach her, but she caught me off guard, storming towards me, grabbing my wrist in the process and yanking me towards the nearest fireplace. In almost any other circumstance I would have been outraged at this assertive behavior, but right now I was just glad she wasn't sobbing. I was angry, so angry that I would have been more than happy to silence Potter and Weasley on the spot. I was so conflicted and it made me feel _weak._

"Is he joking? My fault?" She stomped through the entrance of the flat, balling up her cloak and hurling it across the floor. As angry as she was I was relieved to hear her speak. Her voice brought the level of tension down just a notch for me. I was mad, but now I had her all to myself, and if that wasn't a consolation prize then the term should be redefined.

"He's never been known to draw conclusions correctly." I mumbled, rather irritated with the situation myself. Seeing her upset was probably the worst part. I could deal with Potter and Weasley, what I couldn't deal with was them being insufferable towards Granger, _my_ Granger. I paused at my own revelation, but before I could ponder it any further, she turn towards me again.

"After he told me to shut it! Not to mention the fact that he probably blew the whole mission and now he's got the audacity to blame me!" She yelled, throwing open the doors to the study, continuing to pace the space angrily, almost tripping over her own two feet. I shut the door quietly, prepared to let her ran incessantly

"What did he say to you earlier? When you were outside?" I demanded, her fury was fueling my own. Maybe it was the fact that she'd given me permission to be irritated by the two of them, but it probably had more to do with the fact that I was far more attached to Granger than I'd like to think.

"He told me I had to tell Ron!" She spun on the spot to face me. Her voice was hysterically high as she spoke, her face turning red with rage. "Can you even believe that? Like he's got the right to tell me what to do after basically not being in my life for years!" She threw her hands in the air again, her chest heaving in such a way that my anger began to melt away.

"What an arse." I noted half-heartedly, drinking in her frazzled expression and perfectly petite form. Desire began to run ragged through my veins.

"Obviously!" She shouted again, turning her back to me. Her voice seemed to mute out around me as I watched the way she moved, it was so fluent and at the same time so harsh, I needed to touch her, to feel every curve and dip of her body. I had no desire to control myself anymore, I needed her close to me.

"Are you listening?" She snapped, pulling me out of my lustful haze for just a moment.

"Not at all, you're too sexy." The words fell from my lips before I had a change to edit them. Her chocolate brown eyes searched mine for a moment. She was still frozen in her position, taken aback. Two heart beats passed in silence before I couldn't take it anymore. Her lips parted in silence with her chest heaving made me crazy. I closed the distance between us but didn't touch her. We were nose to nose when she spoke in a less forceful tone.

"You're insane, we practically just dueled half of the Weasleys over dinner and—

"I know." I cut her off with a smirk. I thought that I'd only infuriate her further but she surprised me yet again.

"You're over it?" She stuttered through the question, pressing her chest against mine in a way that nearly sent me over the edge. I closed my eyes in an attempt to cut off at least one of my senses, but opened them back again instantly, deciding it would be a waste to not really _see_ her right now.

"Honestly I couldn't give a shit about the Weasleys right now, not with you looking like that… all angry and sexy—

"Just shut it." She seethed, but her resistance was crumbling, she was so close that I could feel the whisper of her breath across my Adams apple. Her scent drew me in like a moth to a flame. She was infuriatingly beautiful.

"Make me." Before I'd uttered the last words her mouth was on mine, her hands gripping my shirt so tightly I was sure it'd rip, and I wanted it to. I pressed her body forcefully against mine, moving my hands across her back and her sides no longer limiting my exploration, I needed to know her. She flattened her palms against my chest, nudging me backward and I allowed it, only breaking my contact with her for a moment to collapse onto the sofa. In an instant she straddled me, her hands trembling to undo the buttons on my shirt. I drank in the image of Granger on top of me, focusing on getting me out of my clothes. It was almost too much for me. I let her struggle with them while I slipped a hand under her blouse feeling the silky smooth skin of her lower back on my fingers, it was divine. She seemed to give up on the buttons and in a swift and shocking moment tore open the front of my shirt, sending the buttons scattering across the room. Her eyes widened with knowledge and she let out a gasp.

"I'll…I'll pay for that." She muttered innocently. I could have laughed at her embarrassment, but the flush of her cheeks only made me want her more.

"You sure will Granger." I smirked and flipped her onto her back and began to taste the softer-yet skin of her neck. She tossed the remainder of my shirt to the floor and her delicate hands went on a mission of their own. From lightly tracing the lines of my abdomen to caressing and rubbing the planes of my back. Her every touch was unexpected and precise, she was bolder than I'd ever imagined she'd be, it gave everything she did an erotic edge.

Part of me, granted a very, very small part was very aware that this was _Hermione Granger_ whose hands were all over me. _She_ was the one who I was having uncontrollable lust for, I grinned against her lips as I realized that the fact that this was _so wrong_ made it all the more enjoyable. She started to lift her hips to grind against mine and I let out a groan into her mouth, she was making me insane with desire. I slipped a hand under her blouse again and slid it over her head in a slick motion, one that she barely seemed to notice as she pulled me back towards her. Her enthusiasm met mine with fervor and when she looped her thumbs in the waistband of my trousers and started to tug. I was all too willing to comply. I stood up quickly and discarded my slacks like they were the most despicable thing I'd ever had the displeasure of owning. When I glanced back she was struggling with her muggle jeans, her fingers shaking as she tried desperately to unbutton them.

"Blasted buttons." She muttered. I gripped her waistband and pulled her towards me, meeting her lips with mine. I could have gotten lost in the way her mouth tasted. Keeping in mind that there were other things I wanted to taste I flicked apart the button from her jeans and bit her lip lightly, eliciting the softest sigh from her throat. Goosebumps erupted down my spine and I kissed her chin, neck and began to drag my lips down her body while I simultaneously slid her jeans to the floor.

"mmm Malfoy." She whispered when I gave a particularly lingering kiss between the swell of her breasts, exercising every bit of will power I had to not just impale her against the nearest surface. I dragged my mouth to her flat stomach and she shivered, running a hand through my hair in encouragement. I'd never spent too much time going out of my way to please a woman in this way, but this was different. I wanted to _know_ Granger. I wanted to explore every part of her until I had her taste memorized.

I stood back up and she hastily stepped out of the jeans that pooled around her ankles. I could have just stared at her all night and been content but the feral man raging inside me had other plans. I gripped her hips and planted longing wet kisses along her neck and jawline while she sighed and shuddered in pleasure. My chest swelled in pride knowing that _I_ was the eliciting those naughty sounds from clean-as-they-come-war-heroine Hermione Granger.

I gasped when she groaned and very suddenly slid down my boxers, freeing my throbbing member. If my instincts hadn't taken over already they were now. I stopped thinking, all I could do was feel.

"Not fair Granger." I growled in her ear, flicking open the clasp of her bra with one hand. "You should be naked too." She shrugged out of her bra, without breaking contact, her lips smiling against mine.

"Don't be absurd, I'm not rude." She mumbled against my mouth once more. I let out a short laugh at her literal commentary until I took in the sight of her beautiful full breasts. Her nipples were puffy and pink with arousal, they were begging to be attended to. I wasted no time latching my lips around one, getting a real moan of encouragement from Granger. I kneaded her other breast with my hand and took my time as she dug her fingers into my shoulder blades. It should have been painful but the sting heightened my arousal, everything she did made me insane with need. When I couldn't wait any longer I kissed her again and slid a hand into her knickers, making her gasp again on contact. I paused momentarily but continued when she started sucking on my tongue in a way that nearly made me cum.

I ran a finger up and down her slit, moaning at how wet she was. This time she bit on my lip, hard. I shuddered with pleasure. I should have expected her fiery personality to make an appearance in her love life.

"Don't be a tease Malfoy." She whispered in a sultry voice that pushed further toward the edge. I guided her to the sofa and straddled her, before I had a chance she kicked off her knickers, blushing deeply for the first time.

"Do you…" I trailed off, not wanting her to answer my unspoken question, because I was too far gone. If she suddenly decided this was not what she wanted a very specific part of me would wither and die. Even if I had asked the question, I wasn't even sure what it was. I wanted to know if she wanted this, not just sex but me. I wanted her so thoroughly and so badly that I felt like it would be impossible to even try putting it into words. I didn't want to just have sex with her to get off, I want to feel her. I wanted to pleasure her and learn her noises and quirks. I wanted to know exactly what made her crazy and what she didn't like as well. I didn't just want sex with her, it was such an understatement that I couldn't even bring myself to ask.

Fortunately I didn't have to. She nodded her head vigorously, biting her lip. That was all the encouragement I needed. She dug her fingers into my shoulders once more while I guided myself into her with an excruciatingly slow thrust. The anticipation could have killed me. Her feminine moan filled the room, getting me far too close to release. This was so much more than sex, it was everything. The way she looked sprawled out on the sofa, her body responding to me in every way it could was surreal. Just looking at her lying there, wanting me was enough. I needed to hold off, but I wasn't sure I could. She felt so different from any witch I'd ever been with. The way our bodies fit together was elaborate and yet so simple, we were perfect.

"_Malfoy_!" Her voice cracked as she bucked her hips to meet mine. The air felt so thick between us but I focused on each small movement and the sensations that went with them. I wanted to commit every moment of this feeling to memory. My jaw was set in concentration as I began a steady rhythm, engorging myself her warm wet center. I could feel her muscles squeezing my erection so snuggly that I was almost sure she was a virgin. I couldn't stand it, I didn't want to continue, because then I knew it would end, but I couldn't stop either. She was begging me to please her with her whimpers, it would have been a sin to deny her of anything in such a beautiful state.

"Fuck Granger, You're so tight." I managed to gasp and she moaned in response, bucking her hips again. Her movements were so rash compared to mine; it heightened all my senses. She contributed just as much as I did, where she was slow I was frantic, and when she was burning with need, I lingered. We contrasted against each other and yet melded together in an unexplainable state of pleasure.

"More." She groaned, pulling me closer. I sped up my rhythm, the familiar pinching in my gut letting me know that I didn't have much longer. Her breathing was frantic; her back arched making her nipples graze my bare chest. I shuddered in response my body convulsing. I gripped her hips even tighter trying to hold off. Her breath hitched and I knew she'd reached her peak, and she took me with her.

_"Yes!" _She sighed in ecstasy as she rode her orgasm through. I'd never pictured her so beautiful in her release. Her hair was wild and her eyes were closed in a blissful way. Her lips were slightly parted and swollen. The moans and sighs that escaped her were enough to make any man aroused. I came so hard that it felt like I hadn't had release in years. It was unequivocally the best shag I'd ever experienced. It was an understatement to even call it sex. It didn't even begin to compare to the countless, nameless women that I'd been with. I didn't even remember them, but I would never forget _this_.

In a swift and almost natural movement, I pulled away and she curled her naked form against mine, never opening her eyes, a small smile on her still parted lips. Had it been any other witch I would have slipped out, not caring if she noticed or not, but this was different. I wanted to _sleep _with her, and then shag her senseless again in the morning. If that was what it took to get her to stop talking, I could get used to it. I could have stayed awake all night thinking about her and contemplating every moment of tonight, but exhaustion won out in the end. I looped an arm around her waist and held her there, relishing in the skin on skin contact. I wanted to just look at her for hours, to map out her body, but I was asleep in moments, headed towards the best dreams of my life.

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><p><strong>AN Guys I am SO sorry it took so long. I've been soooo busy with college. This chapter had so much going on so it took a really long time to try and get it right. I rewrote it so much. Thanks so much to Marissa for reviewing a bit of the smut for me 3 Please be kind, I hope you liked it. Thank you so much for all the support I've gotten lately. You're all wonderful. Please read and review, it makes my day when you do! **

**-Onalee**


	17. Aftermath

I could have slept for days, years even. I slowly opened my heavy lids and the events of the night before came flooding back to me. I snapped my eyes shut again, my heart racing as I took in this turn of events. I blindly and tentatively reached out behind me to find that I was alone, and I wasn't sure how I felt about that.

Last night had been…perfect. Aside from the battle roayle at the burrow of course, but I couldn't even _think_ about that, not when I was remembering the way Draco's skin felt against mine. I blushed involuntarily, my eyes still squeezed shut and pulled the blanket over my face. I needed to locate Draco immediately so I could get to the shower without having to traipse past him in the nude.

Deciding that I was far too lethargic with bliss to develop any sort of thought that didn't directly involve daydreaming about the events of last night I wrapped the thick afghan around myself and slinked down the hall to my bathroom. I could hear Draco in the kitchen, humming an unknown tune and my stomach sloshed in excitement and delight. Humming meant he was happy, pleased even, maybe with last night. I smiled in spite of myself and headed off to the bathroom before he noticed my presence, the last thing I needed was for him to see my hair twice as large as normal.

I stepped into the shower and almost instantly turned into a bundle of nerves. Draco Malfoy and I just_ slept _together. I couldn't get the thought from my mind, and the more I repeated it, the more I panicked. Draco wasn't exactly known for his lack of sex life, everyone had gossiped about him, even at Hogwarts, and now I knew why. He was astonishing in bed, however I'd never felt more inadequate. What if it disappointed him? Or worse yet what if I'd fallen asleep and he still wanted another go? The pace of my heart quickened as I drank in the sight of my bruised arms and twiggy legs. He'd _seen_ me, naked. Dread spread through me and froze my blood like ice in my veins. My breath became ragged and I couldn't process anything. I'd just had sex, with Draco bleeding Malfoy, who was currently _humming_ in my kitchen.

The turn of events make me nearly ill with anxiety, I couldn't afford to lose him too, not over my inadequacy as a lover. I'd have to learn…practice. I nearly gaped at my own train of thought. There was positively no way that I could lose him over such an issue, and even if I did then he certainly wasn't who I thought he was. But without him I had no one, not now anyways. My mind spiraled over and over until the water ran cold, and I knew I'd have to make an appearance soon or he'd come looking for me. The last thing I needed was for him to find me shivering in the shower, questioning my allure as a lover and decency as a friend. No, I was sure I was a decent friend, more than that. What I wasn't sure of was how I was going to get Ron and Harry back on the same page with me so we could finish this bloody mission and move on.

Moving on wouldn't be simple either, not after last night. If I wanted to keep Malfoy in my life, which I had every intention of doing, it was going to mean another brawl with Ronald, unless of course I wanted to lose him and his family entirely, which meant losing close to the only real family I had. I shook all those impending thoughts from my mind and decided to focus on the first step, getting to the kitchen. Of course before I could make it to the kitchen I had to find something to wear. I'd never had any trouble deciding on an outfit before, however I felt different about it…we were _lovers_ now. What did a lover wear to greet in the morning after a night of steamy sex? Nothing? That certainly wasn't an option. After another half hour of sitting naked on my bedroom floor I decided on a simple outfit, and with a deep calming breath I made for the kitchen.

I was both relieved and surprised to find that he wasn't where I'd heard him humming earlier, and took my next best guess at the study, which was unfortunately, not where I found him.

"I told you Malfoy, I'm not leaving until I speak with her." I heard Harry's voice from the hall, and I instantly regretted my choice in allowing him to come through my floo whenever he pleased.

"For the last time Potter, she's in the bloody shower, what would you like me to do about it, drag her out for you? Because if that's what you're asking I'd be more than obliged—

"You've been saying that for the past hour! I know she's not in there, and I didn't come to fight with you, I just need to talk to her." Harry fumed. I hastily made my way to my living room. Where I expected a heated stance between the two men I found Draco lounging on the loveseat while Harry sat opposite him, his body rigid.

"I'm actually fond of long showers thank you very much." I snapped, but it came out hoarse, it'd been my first words spoken this morning, I blushed not daring look at Draco.

"Good Morning." He drawled, both amusement and irritancy evident in his tone.

"Right." I coughed, cursing myself for being so cold. It wasn't how I expected my morning to unfold. Harry could not have had worse timing, unless of course he'd stopped by last night. I blushed a heavy crimson with the thought; yes I was definitely no longer going to allow him through the floo without warning. I focused my glare at Harry, unsure of whether he was going to verbally assault me or attempt with an apology.

"Why don't you sit Hermione?" Harry sighed, he seemed defeated. I nearly quirked an eyebrow at him, but decided to take advantage of his slightly agreeable mood and tentatively took a seat next to Draco careful not to make physical contact, not yet.

"I came to make things right." Harry said clearly. "We can't work together when things are like this, what happened last night was…unacceptable." He began. I shifted slightly, fighting the urge to snort at his word choice. Draco was not so subtle however.

"Unacceptable is a bit of an understatement if you ask me." He noted.

"Good thing no one asked you." Harry snapped back at him. I stole a glance at Draco, who merely shrugged. I let out a breath of relief that I wasn't even sure I'd been holding in, at least Draco wasn't going to bicker with him on purpose.

"I know a lot was said…" Harry struggled, not quite meeting my gaze. I narrowed my eyes defensively; if he thought he would get away without so much as apologizing he had another thing coming.

"We have to do this mission together so I think right now isn't the best time to try and hash it all out." He finally sputtered. I felt all eyes on me as I considered his statement. It was ludicrous that he wasn't going to apologize to me, and it was even more preposterous to think that he could possibly get along with Draco for another week after all the insults that were thrown around last night.

"How's Ginny?" My question even surprised myself, but I needed to buy some time, besides, she was much more important than all of this.

"She's okay." Harry responded, caught off guard by my question. "She's going to be on bed rest for a while, after this mission I'm taking some time off to be with her. None of this is good for her." I saw the guilt seeping through Harry's words and momentarily pitied him, however he did put himself into this situation.

"And you think it'd be good for her if we don't all discuss what happened?" I questioned. To be honest I wasn't exactly sure what I was trying to do, but I knew that if we didn't talk about this now, we wouldn't ever, and I couldn't forget about it.

"I don't see the point." He said flatly. Draco cut in before I could respond, backing me up.

"We don't have to discuss it in depth. Now that Weasley knows about me there's really no conflict resolution that needs to happen, just as long as he resolves to keep his trap shut." He said it so casually that Harry barely reacted, just shot him a glare.

"I talked to Ron." He directed his attention to me. "He's agreed to keep the news to himself." He said sternly. There was more to read in his expression, but I pointedly ignored it, knowing that I couldn't handle talking about Ron right now. I ignored his comment altogether and persisted on. If I opened up that door with Ron it would be difficult to close, and we had to barrel through this.

"I mean I don't understand why you'd come over here and insist to talk to me all morning if you have absolutely nothing to say." I continued, getting annoyed. What I really needed was to be alone with Draco. I needed to talk to _him_. Or even just have a chance to really look at him.

"We all just need to be civil, if you think having this conversation would help that then by all means say what you need to." Harry snapped, his voice tired. I considered that for a moment, unsure of what I had to say that was constructive rather than destructive.

"I think you were disrespectful to Draco all week. And I know you apologized for that, but not to him. Not to mention the fact that you demanded I tell Ron about his identity when it was prohibited by_ law_ to do so. Besides the whole principal that apparently you think you're the boss of my private life. I think all of those things were wrong of you, and the fact that you carelessly revealed him to the entire Weasley family was ridiculously tactless and disrespectful. You disrespected him and by extension me. I understand that you might not have fuzzy feelings for Draco however if you intend to act like such a child I can't say I want to be around you." I tried to keep my voice calm and even, but I couldn't help it that there was an edge to it. I was irritated, and I desperately needed to be having this conversation any other time. I was itching to reach out to Draco.

"It wasn't my place to reveal Malfoy, or fight with him, but it wasn't his either." Harry retorted.

"I would apologize, however I don't see it fit since you'd been goading me all week and threatening my girlfriend. I'm surprised my self-control lasted as long as it did." Draco snapped right back.

"You don't have to like each other, but if you want me in your life," I directed my words at Harry specifically, "you have to get over this, and make an effort to respect who I'm with, regardless of your personal prejudices."

"I can do that. I apologize for not doing that sooner." Harry said without hesitation. I believed that part of his answer probably came straight from a lecture he heard from Ginny last night, no doubt she was as infuriated by the scene as I was.

"Well Potter if that's that you'd best be going, unless you'd like us to hug first." Draco sighed, obviously ready for him to leave as well. Harry ignored him and instead looked at me skeptically.

"Is there something else?" I asked hesitantly, not really wanting an answer. He considered me for a moment and after a long tired look replied.

"I'll see you two tomorrow at training…I'll be sticking to specific tactics for the mission from here on out." He said, standing up. I stood as well, not sure if I should hug him first of push him right into the fireplace.

"I'll see you tomorrow." I confirmed, and I took a step forward when he extended his arms and I accepted the light hug that he offered. Harry and I still had a lot to work on, not to mention my relationship with Ron, which was surely doomed, but I couldn't have been happier or more nervous to see him leave.

Finally I turned to Draco, and jumped to find that he was wrapping his arms around my waist from behind.

"I thought he'd never leave." He half groaned against my neck, letting his lips linger. I shivered in delight, my nerves calming a bit.

"It wasn't exactly the good morning I'd had planned." My voice cracked nervously and he released me, turning around to face me.

"What exactly did you have in mind, Granger?" He smirked. I couldn't help the heavy blush that crept up my cheeks. Impulsively I got onto my tip toes and pressed my lips against his, sending a shudder of familiar sensation to my very core.

.

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><p>.<p>

It was difficult to even look at her the same way, now that I knew that gorgeous body she was hiding _under_ her clothes. They didn't do her justice, not the slightest bit. Although my morning didn't go the way either of us had planned and was plagued by scarhead's pesky pleas to make up, the afternoon was shaping up to be pretty enjoyable. She'd taken the liberty of snuggling herself against my chest on the sofa in the study. I'd decided that from now on it would be _our_ sofa. We sat in a comfortable silence, tangled within one another, but lost in other worlds completely. She was reading, her eyes drinking up the words from each page, immersing herself into vast pools of vocabulary.

Though I very much intended to do the same I found myself stealing glances at her, unable to get the shit-eating grin off my face. I'd never had a "morning after" that was so…pleasant. If it had been any other woman, any other time I would have wordlessly slipped out in the morning, regardless of the quality of the sex. Last night had been different; it felt like more than _just sex_. It was almost as though we were making love. I'd never delved into the possibility that there were any substantial differences between making love and having sex, however last night changed my mind entirely.

I didn't love her; at least I didn't think I did. She was still infuriating, but more infuriatingly beautiful than anything else. Of course she was still the same witch that had me at my wits end most of the time, but perhaps now for other reasons, not just her bossy attitude. No, I didn't love her, but I definitely wanted her, I certainly cared about her. It was as close to love as I'd ever been. It was by far the best shag I'd ever had and it wasn't just because she had the figure of a goddess. I couldn't get enough of the witch. Whether she was walking, frowning or casually scratching her arm, it was like I could stare at her forever. It was astounding how long I'd managed to ignore how entirely enthralling she was. The way her delicate fingers gripped the edges of her books and fleetingly turned each page was enough to have me ogling all day. Just at her _fingers_, let alone the rest of her. I was smitten with her, an emotion I'd never before explored. We were lovers now. As often as I'd enjoyed a casual shag with a random dim witted witch in the past, I'd never before indulged myself in having a _lover._ She was someone I cared for, and intended to please in every way possible. Yes, she was certainly my lover.

"You're making me self-conscious Draco." She groaned, smacking her book shut and turning herself around in my arms. I raised an eyebrow innocently. Her mood had been shifty throughout the afternoon, it was confusing.

"You shouldn't be self-conscious; I was simply looking at you." I shrugged. I had gotten a bit carried away in staring at her all day long. We'd tried to talk earlier, but after she sputtered out a few awkward sentences about how lovely of a time she'd had last night it became clear that we were on the same page, and frankly I had nothing _to_ say about it, other than the fact that I wanted more of her. However I decided to attempt to exercise some self-control, at least until the sun went down.

"I just don't see why." She stated plainly, a defeated look graced her features as she stretched out across from me, landing her feet in my lap. She looked nervous again.

"Fishing for compliments?" I teased and she lightly blushed.

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm just…this is so odd." She sighed, tossing her book to the group with flippancy that alarmed me.

"What is?" I retorted defensively, the last thing I wanted was for her to feel like any part of this was odd, for me it was blissful, or at least it had been until a moment ago.

"That I'm so relaxed. I mean there was a blow up at the burrow last night, we have training tomorrow, and the mission in less than a week, and yet, here I am, thinking about…" She chewed on her lip nervously. "You!" She spluttered. I smirked outwardly and she blushed again. My chest swelled with the ego boosting comment, it felt more balanced that way, it couldn't have been lost on her that I'd been wanting her since the moment I laid eyes on her this morning.

"As much as I'd love to embarrass you further, I suppose my gawking has probably given me away. I haven't thought about much besides the notion of _us_ all day." I admitted, carefully gauging her reaction. She looked down immediately with embarrassment, though a shy smile graced her face.

"After all this… the case and everything, do you think that you'll want to keep…the whole us thing going?" She asked innocently, chewing the inside of her cheek nervously. I stared at her blankly, distaste for her question gracing my features.

"Why would you ask me that?" I snapped, annoyed that she wasn't confident in my intentions. I thought that last night had paved a future for us, we were compatible in every way, more than just compatible, we fit perfectly. Although we hadn't discussed it until this moment I didn't think we had to, I obviously wanted to see her.

"I just never asked and with the way things are going I just thought that it was something that should be said…that's all." She shrugged, trying to play it off but I was already tense with anger. How could she have any doubt of my feelings for her?

"You really think I hate you enough to parade myself around the Weasel's house as your boyfriend only to dump you when my name's been cleared? Even I'm not that cruel Granger." I snarled, rising from the sofa to make my way to the kitchen. For a moment I'd forgotten how irritating she could be when she decided to pick a fight, especially when it was over something so trivial, it shouldn't have even been a discussion.

"Well it's not as though we've ever talked about it _Malfoy_. As I recall your plans for the future depend on you going solo." She huffed, following me from the room. I spun around to stare at her, infuriated at her accusations. Of course my plans were made for only me, until a few weeks ago I was the only person in the world other than my sodding mother that had anything to do with me. After last night, for her to question the integrity of our entire relationship, it was degrading.

"You're so insecure that you have to have this conversation _now_? I thought that our shagging was a step in the right direction." I seethed. She cringed.

"Must you call it that?" She fumed. "I just wanted to make it clear that although the events of last night were…more than enjoyable, it's not all that I want this to be about! I actually like you…well maybe not this instant, but I do, and I'd rather not get any more involved unless we both know exactly where we stand!" She shouted, her chest heaving in anger. I shook my head of the lustful thoughts threatening to invade my mind and fought my instinct to snog her into silence.

"Why do you have to go ruining perfectly good things? Things were bloody brilliant until you had to go over analyzing them inside that bushy head of yours. Just stop over thinking things, I like you and you like me can't that just be enough?" I argued, backing her into the cupboard. She crossed her arms over her midsection, forcing her cleavage upward. I took a deep breath, trying not to let it get to me.

"Thinking is what I do, it's what I'm good at." She spat, flustered. "I can't afford to invest myself in you like this if the results won't be favorable." She said breathily, losing her steam. I almost laughed at her approach, she was absolutely insufferable.

"Listen to you! You're talking about sex like it's a business deal." I meant it to sound menacing, but my resolve was quickly dissolving with her in such close proximity. She was searching my eyes while I searched hers, I could hardly have enough of her, I needed to be closer.

"Well isn't that what it's always been to you? Excuse me for wanting to make sure that we were different, I'd like to have a conversation, so I have peace of mind." She said, her lips pursed. I could have hexed her in that moment if my wand was within reach. She was so annoying. She was irritating me so deeply that I was going to wipe that stubborn look off her face, no matter what it took.

"Fine, let's talk!" I firmly but gently grasped her upper arms, pulling her so close that we were nose to nose, her eyes still determined to find something else in mine.

"I like you. And I'm not going anywhere." I growled. I crushed my lips to hers with fervor and as soon as I felt her begin to respond I pull back half an inch again. I stared into her eyes as sincerely as I could, she needed to know how honest I was being.

"I think you're fucking gorgeous Granger," I kissed her again. "And smart, and irritating, and I actually give a shit about you." She was nearly trembling as I saw her eyes cloud with the same lust that I was reflecting. Her hands grasped the fabric of my t-shirt tightly. I could barely stand to utter another word, but if it was what she needed I had to at least _try_.

"I might not be the best at expressing my _feelings_ for you." I admitted, my voice low and unwavering. "I'm showing you how I need you in my life the only way I know how." I whispered, my anger dissolving into something much more than lust. My lips brushed hers again and she took the lead, not wasting any time pushing her body against mine, desperately trying to stick us together, to make us closer than before. I had the smallest glimmer of a notion that maybe she understood. Either way I was done talking.

She grasped me against her, touching and feeling every part of me urgently, as though she'd been waiting her entire life to run her delicate fingers over my chest, my back, everything. I could hardly contain my urgency either; I had no intention of slowing her down as she made easy work of removing both of our clothes, melding our skin together almost painfully. I wanted her closer, I needed her closer, I wanted her to understand. Her passion and fervor only fueled my own, giving me license to show her exactly what I felt for her.

It was just like the night before, the need, the lust and the connection that I still couldn't explain. Where I didn't have words I used my fingers, my lips and my body. It felt like I was telling her everything in tender touches and fierce kisses. Her breathy responses were all the encouragement I needed in return, to show her the depths of my emotion, to continue to please her until she finally understood. It was nothing like I'd ever imagined. Being close to her in that way was like sharing a part of me that had never before been exposed. She moaned and writhed beneath me, on top of me, never closing her eyes, always yearning to be closer, to feel more of each other. The relief of mutual release was indescribable; we said more to each other in those few moments than I felt any amount of words could ever really define.

We fit together so seamlessly, so unflawed, surely she could see that. I didn't understand how she could question it, but if this was the way I would have to remind her, I had no objections. A moment passed by in silence, the sounds of our labored breathing slowly subsiding, as we tangled up in one another, never looking away, always connected. She'd given me all I needed to know, but if it was words that she needed from me, I would try my best.

"Hermione, I—

"Don't." She said softly, looking deeply once more into my eyes but she was no longer searching, she looked content. She pressed her lips at my collarbone. A shiver of pleasure crawled up my spine. "It was all I needed to hear."

She rested her head on my chest as we sat on the kitchen floor, somehow comfortable in one another's embrace and I decided that I would bask in the silence. Hermione Granger was not known for her lack of vocabulary, I was sure she'd have something to say soon, but until then I was more than content to listen to the sounds of our hearts beating in unison.

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><p><strong>An I am so incredibly sorry for the unannounced hiatus that I went on. My college work overpowered me these past few months, and I greatly neglected this fic. However, in better news, I'm finished with school tomorrow night and have a four month break, which means I will certainly be updating much, much more often. I'll try to get another update in within the week. I apologize again for the lack of updates.**

**Anyways I hope you liked this chapter, I cranked it out in two days so I hope it's up to par. There might be some mistakes, I apologize. it was sort of filler, which is frustrating but it had to be done. The next few chapters will be filled with new plot developments so hang in there**

**As far as the sex goes: I know that I was quite vague in this scene, however this isn't a fic based on solely on sex, therefore I felt it was important not to have too much of it too soon. I'll be adding more steamy scenes as the fic goes on but only where I feel they fit. It's implied that they're now in a physical relationship.**

**Please read and review! Thanks so much.**

**-Onalee**


	18. The Calm Before the Storm

"I even think it could be beneficial for you Hermione, to see Draco outside of the bubble you've created for yourselves." The doctor continued. "The choice is yours, as always, but with all this stress building up for the end of the week you both should have some down time, and this could be a perfect way to do it. You need to adjust to living outside of the little world you've created that revolves around work and each other." She said. I nodded my head slowly, shifting uncomfortably on the small loveseat provided. Draco glanced at me and rolled his eyes. He was much more irritated than uncomfortable.

When I'd first received the owl from his therapist to join them I was reluctant, but willing. Draco had fought me on the issue, saying it was too much talking, but that was the reason I'd wanted to sit in. As in tune as Draco was with me, we didn't talk quite as much as a normal couple and I has a suspicion that it was because both of our pasts were riddled with unpleasant, traumas that we'd yet to open up with anyone about. So I decided that this session could only bring good things for us, now I was beginning to doubt myself.

"She seems to like the idea just as much as I do." He snapped, obviously irritated by his therapist's bold suggestion. She turned to focus her attention on me and gave me an encouraging smile. I hid a grimace.

"Hermione, how would you feel about a visit?" She asked directly. My impulse was to shrug, however I hardly found that appropriate at a time like this. I knew she'd be giving us suggestions, I just never thought it would be so forward. Meeting Draco's mum was not exactly a prospect I was looking forward to. I'd met Draco's father dozens of times, and nearly every one he managed to get in a good insult, not to mention that more often than not he sent a killing curse my way. Though I wouldn't be meeting him again, Narcissa was married to him, and almost as frightening to me.

Although Harry had publically pardoned her for her crimes and we knew that her intentions were only to save her son, she was menacing in her own right. I'd seen her stand by while I was nearly tortured to death by her _sister_. Of course all these thoughts were irrelevant, and quite honestly, hypocritical. Draco had certainly done worse things than his mother during the war, well the things that I knew of were worse. But it gave me an incredibly uneasy feeling, running off to meet Draco's mum in that…house.

Another apprehension I had about the whole visit was of course Malfoy Manor itself. I had no reason to visit after the war and why would I? That house was almost always the setting of my most violent nightmares. I definitely did not want to visit, not ever again. However this was supposed to be good for Draco, and I guess I recognized the fact that we had created a small bubble around ourselves, or rather our work did. I wasn't even sure he wanted me to meet his mother though, as much as it was quite clear that he wanted to be seeing me I had no idea what kind of changes his life would have after his name was cleared, I wasn't sure it was even an _option_ for me to be a part of those plans.

"I feel like that's Draco's call entirely. It's his mother and therefore I feel like he should decide when he feels it's appropriate for me to meet her." I stated, keeping my voice as even as possible. The truth was I was scared shitless of his house and of his mother.

"Well Draco, looks like it's your decision." The doctor cut in, turning her attention to him. He ignored her and I felt his eyes on me, appraising my expression. I tried to keep my features flat, hoping that he couldn't read into my absolute terror.

"Like I said I don't see fit for me to bring Hermione around my mother until after the case is closed." He said, getting even more irritated. I breathed a tiny sigh of relief however, the doctor was undeterred.

"You have to keep in mind that when this case closes the two of you will be exposed to an entirely new world, and like I've said a hundred times you are going to need all the support you can get Draco. Although Narcissa is a pillar in your support, as of late she makes up the entire structure. Adding Hermione into that structure to create a cohesive support system for you is imperative to your success after your probation is over. The media is going to attack you as well as glorify you. Though you will be a free man there are still trials and tribulations to the life you're wishing to lead."  
>"You think I don't know that!" Draco nearly cut her off at the end of her sentence, and crossed his arms tightly over his chest. It was obvious that the doctor rarely saw eye to eye with him, but I also got the sense that they'd made a lot of progress over the years. They had to, after all Draco was not the boy he was during the war.<p>

I wanted to reach out to him, but I wasn't sure if it was appropriate or if it would just infuriate him further. I swallowed my fear and tentatively laid a hand on his forearm. He didn't look at me, but visibly relaxed, and the doctor took note. Draco spoke in a much calmer voice when he continued.

"You've briefed me a thousand times on what life will be like once I've gained my freedom, and yes I do intend to include Granger in my life but we haven't even discussed plans for next week let alone the rest of our lives. There's very little to gain from meeting my mother if we have absolutely no idea what we're going to be doing a month from now." He said. I measured his words in my mind and it began to sink in how right he was. He mentioned that he wanted to travel. I knew this mission was an out for him, but it was supposed to be the big break of my career, the career that I hated.

I was working myself to death and I knew it, but I was so overqualified to do anything other than what I was doing now. I had no idea what I wanted, I supposed that was about half the problem. All I knew was that I couldn't lose Draco, in fact I wouldn't lose him. So wherever he went, I was going too. A hiatus from work would probably do a world of good for my body and mind at this point anyways.

"This is where my next point comes in Draco, and truly the reason you both are here, is to talk to one another." She said with a smile. I glanced at Draco, whose eyes remained trained on his therapist. Clearly I was missing something. I knew Draco hadn't told her that we were sleeping together, he wouldn't have had a chance to, not unless he was owling her, which I severely doubted. I blushed involuntarily at the thought before Draco absently laced his fingers through mine and set our hands between us on the loveseat.

"We do plenty of talking as it is." He said in a small voice, almost as though he wasn't sure. My insecurities about our relationship were coming to the forefront, and I was anxious about the impending conversation. I had no doubt that Draco and I fit perfectly, but we really didn't spend a whole lot of time talking about it.

"I'm going to give you a list of questions." She began, ignoring his comment entirely as she summoned two parchments. "You know I rarely give you homework Draco, and while you have a lull at work for the next few days I think you should take the time to discuss the things on this list, rather than taking out all of your thoughts and feelings in a…physical manner." I felt the burn of a blush heavier in my cheeks as I averted my eyes to the wall, away from both Draco and the doctor. Was it really that obvious?

"I'll let you out early, since you have some talking to do." She continued, handing over the parchment to Draco who abruptly stood up. He was just as thankful as I was to get out of that blasted office. After exchanging pleasantries once more she flashed me a knowing smile that pushed my embarrassment over the edge as Draco grabbed my hand and led me from the small room. He didn't waste any time gesturing for me to enter to fireplace or for him to follow me inside my flat. He was thinking, and I was desperate to understand what about.

"Well that was interesting." I noted, trying to gauge his mood while I followed him into the kitchen. He merely shrugged, seemingly indifferent.

"Are you hungry?" He asked casually. Before I could say anything he shook his head, proceeding to root through my cupboards. "It doesn't really matter if you're hungry, you have to eat." He mused. I was surprised by his light tone. I assumed after such a heavy discussion he would have a somber or even snippy attitude, it was a pleasant, and rather confusing turn of events.

"Where did all that food come from?" I gasped, getting a glimpse inside my refrigerator. It was stocked up with what seemed like fresh produce, which was a mystery to me. I hadn't really gone out and stocked my house with food in years.

"Daisy did it. She was complaining about having so little to cook with, I figured it would be cruel to deny her request to buy you some food." He shrugged, smirking a little. I grinned at his playfulness, I rarely got to see him in such a mood.

"And I'm quite the chef, Granger. So tell me what you'd like for lunch." He leaned against the kitchen counter casually and stared at me intently, waiting for my decision.

"Hmmm, what are your specialties? I'd hate to let a free meal pass go without really getting something delicious." I teased. He let out a laugh.

"Well, everything I make is divine, but since you're insistent on hearing my best work, I'd have to recommend beurre d'arachide et la banane en sandwich." He said slickly. I raised an eyebrow, unaware that he spoke French. My insides melted at how suave his accent was, the words rolled off his tongue so delicately.

"I must say, a peanut butter and banana sandwich does sound simply irresistible." He nearly faltered at my understanding, but went to work straight away, playfully explaining each move as he went. I laughed alongside him, taking full advantage of whatever confusing prospect of therapy had him so lighthearted.

"I suppose we should cross a thing or two off this list." He shrugged, sitting across from me as he took a sip of pumpkin juice. "If nothing else than for good measure. I know you're not fond of breaking the rules." He half-smirked. I would have taken offence to the comment, but the way he was flirting with me had my insides tangled. I nodded along, and he gestured for me to do the honors of reading off the first subject.

"What are both of our plans for after this case, and do they align with each other?" I read aloud, my heart suddenly quickening in pace at the severity of the situation. I was still confused, I didn't know what I wanted, and I knew this conversation was going to mean a lot to him, to us.

"I plan to be with you." He answered without hesitation. My heart jumped. "Frankly I think that's the only relevant part of my answer." He said firmly, taking another bite of his sandwich. He chewed it quickly, and after washing it down with a swig of pumpkin juice he continued. "Like I said before, I'd love to travel; I'd imagine that at some point I'll take over my father's company. Until then I think I need to relax, be my own man. I think you should do the same." He tone got more serious as he made eye contact with me. My anxiety was reaching a dangerous level as he took my hand. "You've worked too hard for the wrong reasons. I think you deserve a break, and I'd love it if you happened to share that break with me. I could take you _everywhere_." His words didn't even settle with me before I felt the overwhelming rush of happiness and relief flood through me. He wanted me too.

"I think you'll find my plans are almost identical." I said slowly, careful not to mess up this pivotal conversation. He smiled and nodded in approval of those plans.

"As much as I hate to admit it, my nosey, annoying therapist probably has a point about us talking more about…us." He muttered, wrinkling his nose slightly at the thought of his doctor being correct. I suppressed a smile and nodded.

"I agree. And this list isn't so bad. I mean there are only a few things on here anyways." I shrugged, but the more I looked at the list the more intensely terrified I became of it.

"Right, because I always leisurely bring up how to connect my physical and emotional needs for you." He rolled his eyes, reading almost directly off the parchment.

"Did you erm, tell her?" I asked shyly, biting my lip. It shouldn't be this difficult to talk about sex with someone I was having sex with. I mentally kicked myself for the girlish way I asked him.

"Tell her what?" He smirked. "That we've shagged? Oh yes right afterwards I had a floo call to tell her all about it." He said sarcastically. I blushed.

"Well she sure seemed to notice." I snapped defensively.

"Probably because we can't keep our hands off each other." He muttered, "which is completely true, don't think about denying it." He shot back at me.

"I wasn't going to." I mumbled back, feeling myself blush again.

"What do you keep on blushing about Hermione, so what if I think you're sexy? I like you. What's so _embarrassing_ about that?" He rolled his eyes, scooting his chair next to mine so we were knee to knee. He absently traced patterns on my palm, patiently waiting for my response.

"It's not embarrassing it's just new to me." I shrugged, still blushing. It was incredible how at ease and on edge he kept me simultaneously, it was unnerving but so addicting.  
>"Don't make me kiss that beautiful blush off of you Hermione." He said in a low voice. "Are you embarrassed of us?" He added. I stiffened at his accusation; that was the last thing I wanted him to think.<p>

"No, absolutely not." I said quickly, meeting his eyes. "It's just that no guy I've ever been with has wanted to actually talk about the fact that we were intimate. It's just different with you, everything's different with you." I shrugged, trying to play it off.

"I don't know why anyone would want to _not_ talk about how gorgeous you are all the time. I can hardly exercise self-control anymore, the least I could do is pay you some well-deserved compliments." He said smoothly. I erupted in goose bumps at his breath by my throat. He pressed light kisses against neck, making me nearly shaky with desire for him.

"I suppose there's nothing wrong with that then." I said my voice cracking. He smirked at me and planted a last kiss on my cheek before he stood up to clear our plates. My heart plummeted at the loss of contact.

"As much as I'd like to stay here all day, the mission in only a few days away, and Potter's auror trainings have become mandatory." He rolled his eyes. "So we'd better at least make an appearance."

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><p>.<p>

"Ten galleons please." I mumbled to the thousandth customer I'd had the displeasure of seeing that day. Working in the joke shop had never been more depressing. With every passing moment I only had time to mull over how betrayed I felt.

"Cheer up little brother, we can't have you scaring away all the money with you frowning like that." George smacked me on the back of the head and I threw him a dirty look, he of all people should know why I was in such a bloody awful mood.

"This isn't about Hermione again is it?" He half teased. My blood was boiling already at the mention of her name. How dare she even _like_ Malfoy, let alone date him! She still couldn't forgive me, or even be civil with me after our breakup, and yet she was making nice with _Malfoy?_ Had she forgotten that all those years while he was fucking insulting her and aiming curses her way I was the one who'd defended her? It was absolute bullshit that she could even consider him a friend, he fought _against_ her. He fought against what she was! I tried not to think about her and her stupid decisions though. As angry as I was at her, I was much, much angrier at that ferret she was keeping as a pet. That sure explained his bloody pompous and arrogant behavior. I still didn't know what kind of game he was playing, but as soon as I found out there would be hell to pay.

"Sodd off." I replied darkly. I wasn't in the mood for his jokes. I was mad at him too now that I thought about it, for not taking my side.

"It's not like she didn't wait for you." He shrugged, getting a little more serious as he took to the cash register next to me, taking account of today's galleons.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I seethed, outraged that he could even think about reprimanding me for her ridiculous life choices.

"I mean she gave you loads of opportunities to object to him, and you didn't really have much of a problem with him until the other night." He shrugged. I felt my face heat with rage as a customer approached. George waved him over to his register as I stared at him.

"You're bloody joking, you can't possibly think that I'd be okay with that sodding death eater." I whispered the last words, but George seemed unfazed.

"The past is the past, you've got to let that go. I mean if she can, you should. She's not really known for her bad judgment." He noted, "That'll be 5 galleons sir." He said cheerily.

"It's not just anyone George, this is _Malfoy_ we're talking about." I continued in as quiet of a tone as I could. I couldn't believe that nobody understood my very legitimate objections. He tried to kill her, he wanted her and anyone like her dead.

"Thank you very much, have a nice day." George continued with the costumer, keeping the smile on his face until the man was out of earshot

"Listen Ron, you've got to let it go. That's all I can say. Looks to me like he might be around a while, and the last thing you want to do is make your friendship with her even more awkward. Let it go." He said seriously, patting me once on the back.

I stood there for a moment while he attended to the growing line of costumers and I tried to picture it, being _okay_ with Malfoy. My blood was boiling again, I couldn't stand the git, I couldn't then and I couldn't now. If that made things worse with Hermione then so be it, it was her decision to go around with that sodding, racist death eater. She should have known from the moment she started seeing him that it would never sit with me. If I was important to her, she'd stop seeing him. She might need a little push, but if there was one thing I knew, it was that she cared about me. It would be for her own good. The sooner she got away from him, the better.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

"Why, don't you appreciate my sex hair?" Granger laughed as she walked hand in hand with me down the muggle streets of London.

"I don't really think there's a difference between your sex hair and normal hair is there?" I teased, earning a playful shove from her. I tightened my grip on her waist, wary of the darkness that was beginning to creep around us. As much as I'd been able to finally relax these past few days with Hermione, the seriousness of the mission never fully left my mind.

In the last few days Potter had spent all of our time simulating the attack. While I absently walked through the training course I would be disarmed by a team of 6 aurors that represented the death eaters, and basically try to reclaim my wand while our ambush team of aurors dueled them and practiced detainment repertoire. I could say with confidence that we were more than prepared, but it didn't put my anxiety at ease in the slightest.

I normally kept an extremely cool demeanor before missions like this. I didn't take them lightly, however I was never particularly nervous for them. After serving directly under the dark lord my chances of survival always seemed more than favorable when going after his followers. The prospect that I knew was on my mind was Hermione's safety. After fighting the fact that I cared for her for so long, I finally begrudgingly accepted it, embraced it even. Although it was agreed to that she wouldn't be on the field I would be a fool to think for one second that she couldn't get her way if she set her mind to it.

While watching her duel the past few days I couldn't help but feel a pull towards her, a need to protect her. Although she always had the situation under control I couldn't help but steal a glance at her when I should have been focused on something else. The witch might very literally be the death of me. I couldn't get the picture of her lying in the hospital out of my head, or worse yet that blasted memory of hers from when she'd been captured by the Lestrange brothers. It made my skin crawl when I noted the bruises on her arms and legs from training. Though it usually wasn't even worth it to her I couldn't help but heal all the little yellow patches of skin as soon as she was asleep in my arms at night.

Our new sleeping arrangement was highly preferable to the long and ill rested nights I spent in her guest bedroom alone. Although we seemed to end up on the sofa more often than not it wasn't any trouble. After a configuration charm or two it was fit for a blissful night's sleep after a round of increasingly vigorous and passionate sex. She kept me guessing every time she pressed her lips against mine. It was obvious that all the things she thought went out the window the moment she gave in to those desires and I relished in just watching her every intake of breath, every miniscule movement that set me on fire.

It was so private and so different from anything else I'd ever experience because I got to watch her stop _thinking_. Whenever she got to that place she just felt, and it was stunning to experience. All her passionate feelings and thoughts that she constantly kept rationalized and organized in tiny little folders in her mind all flew out the window when we touched. It was an incredibly moving experience, and I felt like I would never have my fill of her.

Between our ravenous rendezvous we did manage to keep our hands to ourselves while we explored my blasted therapist's talking points. Granger and I did have slight issues with communication, but I felt like they were getting better, and whatever she didn't say out loud she certainly showed me once we were in bed. Our dynamic was getting stronger every day, which both thrilled and horrified me. I'd never been dreadfully co-dependent on anyone before and now wasn't the best time to grow attached, not when both of our long term plans were still very much up in the air.

As difficult as it was for me to even allow myself to _like_ her, I couldn't get away from it. In fact I didn't want to. She was brilliant, stubborn, gorgeous, obnoxious, challenging and she over thought every aspect of her life and despite those things, more likely because of them, she was devastatingly irresistible. More importantly, she was mine.

"You're not worried are you? About tomorrow?" She asked me, trying to keep her voice even as we entered her flat together, taking off our cloaks. I tried to read her expression. She was working very hard to keep it blank.

"Not at all. The plan is unflawed." I merely shrugged, copying her aloof demeanor as I held open the door to the study for her. It was like clockwork now, spending my nights in the study with her.

"Good, good." She muttered, nodding her head. She glanced up at me, and I saw the depth of worry in her eyes. Although unwarranted, the feeling was mutual. I was worried for her, I was in near panic for her.

"You're worried." I stated plainly, deciding that talking was the best route. Our plan was so logical that I knew it could only help to discuss its fool proof structure with her a little more. Reassurance was what she needed right now, and I was happy to oblige. She sat across from me on the sofa, our sofa. She took both my hands in hers and played with them idly, staring at them.

"It's irrational, I know." She sighed, placing small kiss on my palms. I took in a deep breath through my nose, trying to stay focused on anything other than her lips.

"Completely irrational. You designed this plan, it's foolproof, absolutely iron-clad." I affirmed, willing her to look at me. She gave me a small nod, still not meeting my eyes.

"Hermione." I whispered. She didn't move. I shifted my hands from hers and positioned myself right next to her before tilting her chin up to look at me. Her glistening amber eyes met mine and my heart panged for her. She was terrified.

"I promise you, tomorrow night we will both be right here on this sofa in each other's arms." I said sternly, my voice unwavering. "And Malfoys do not break promises." I added, my voice going hoarse on the last syllable. She closed the distance between us in response and kissed me with fervor that was unrecognizable. It wasn't angry or fervent, it was desperate. I returned the kiss with just as much gusto, twining my fingers in her long curls, willing her to be closer to me. She was more feral than I'd ever seen her, desperately popping off buttons with trembling hands. I grasped both of her hands tightly, making eye contact with her.

"Let me." I whispered, kissing her once more. Painstakingly slowly I unbuttoned her blouse, stilling her arms every so often before continuing. I allowed her shirt to slip off her shoulders, exposing flesh that was only for my eyes. My eyes blackened with lust, but I kept my pace, slowly but surely disposing of every piece of clothing on her until she was left naked before me.

I'd seen her naked a number of times in the past week, but never quite like this. By forcing her to go slow, I got to really _appreciate_ her. Every dip and curve of her body was thoroughly taken account for, etched in my mind. With every miniscule movement she made it was like I added another layer to the painting that she was in my head. She followed my lead, and without breaking eye contact she took off my shirt, her hands no longer shaking. I watched her expression as she removed the last of my clothing, and it echoed mine, the awe, lust and amazement that I saw in her only made me want her more, it made me _need_ her.

With an agonizingly slow movement she placed her hands gently on my chest, a shiver of lust ricocheting down her spine. She gave me a slight push, landing my back on the sofa, as she tantalizingly ran her delicate hands all over me, pausing and grasping in surprising movements. I did the same, never breaking lip contact. Then she began to speed up, and the grinding against me in one swift moment became me inside her tight wet walls. I groaned in her mouth, unable to stay silent any longer. She didn't want me to do anything, and although I met her thrusts she made it clear that she wanted to do this for me. She wanted me to just relax, like I'd been trying to get her to do all week. I smirked at my realization, but didn't have time to think about it any further as my I was reaching my peak of release. I felt her begin to contract around me, clenching me so tightly that I was pushed over the edge.

She kept her eyes locked on mine as she whispered my name over and over, her voice cracking and deepening with pleasure. I couldn't even begin to understand how this had happened, how I'd begun to care for her so deeply. In that moment my insides twisted with much more than release, but with realization. I would do anything for her, anything to keep her. I had not only become attached to her, but I couldn't be without her, without _this_. It was so much more than sex, it was communication, understanding and something that felt a lot like what I'd imagine love might be. I shook the thought from my head, grasping onto her tightly as she lay her head on my bare chest.

"Draco, don't say anything." She whispered in a voice so low that I nearly didn't catch it.

"mm?" I mumbled in question, not trusting my own voice.

"Promise you won't say anything." She whispered again. I nodded in agreement, content to give her whatever she wanted.

"Promise." I mumbled into her hair, closing my eyes.

"I love you."

My heart tripled in speed as my body tensed. My eyes shot back open in a mix of terror and elated joy. She placed a kiss over my heart, and nuzzled herself against my chest once more, quickly losing a battle with exhaustion. Frozen in place I couldn't think, I could barely breathe. Those three words were terrifying. It wasn't that I objected to her loving me, I couldn't begin to express how entirely _good_ it made me feel that someone like her could and did love someone like me. It was so profound and unheard of, and knowing that I'd claimed another piece of her, perhaps the most important part, her heart, had my pride soaring.

It didn't even bother me that she made me promise not to say anything back, in fact normally I would have loved the fact that she understood me enough and respected our relationship enough to see those boundaries and not cross them. The only trouble was, that lying on that sofa with this tiny delicate woman in my arms, I was sure that something in me had irreversibly changed. I was feeling something I'd once thought I could not be capable of. It couldn't be happening, and yet it was, I felt the same way. I loved her, and there was a very real possibility, no matter how small that tomorrow she would be hurt. She would try to get on the field. She was too unpredictable, she wouldn't listen to the rules. She would try to get revenge on those death eaters herself. I couldn't accept that. I could not accept that tomorrow she might be lying in that hospital again because of the people I'd once considered family.

So as much as it pained me to do so, I slipped from her grasp and dressed myself. After taking one last glance at her to make sure she was completely asleep I walked to her living room, and prepared to have a conversation that would make her so angry with me she might take back her blissful confession. I swallowed a lump in my throat at that thought, faltering for a moment. I had to do this though, I wouldn't break my promise. Tomorrow night Granger would be sitting on that sofa with me completely unscathed, no matter what I had to do to make that happen. I stuck my head in the fireplace and cleared my throat before getting the attention of one of the very last people I wanted to ask for help from.

"Potter, you were right. I think Hermione might have plans to get herself on the field tomorrow night. We're going to have to detain her before it starts."

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><p><strong>An Hey everyone, I hope that was a decent enough amount of time for an update. I hope you liked this chapter. It might be a little rough editing wise, I've been really anxious to finally get to the next chapter, which is really exciting :) Thanks so much everyone for your reviews, they always make my day and inspire me to write much much faster! I hope you enjoy, please be kind. **

**-Onalee**


	19. Sending a Message

"It'll be fine Granger, it'll be perfect." He assured me for the hundredth time that day. Surprisingly enough I slept through mid-afternoon and when I woke up Draco was still lying next to me, playing with my curls.

"I thought it would be such a waste to wake you." Was all he managed to defend himself with. I'd wanted to have all day with him, just to talk, or maybe just look at each other, or make love. The last thing I wanted was to sleep the day away.

Suddenly I regretted not only my sleeping pattern but the way I'd carelessly spent the rest of my day, doing nothing. There was so much I wanted to say to him, but whenever I opened my mouth I found that I had absolutely nothing to say at all. I was blank. All I knew was that I loved him, and I was panicking over it. It was absolutely irrational of me to behave the way I was, but after nearly losing Ron in an attack it just set something off in me, to place Draco as a sitting duck in our scheme, even now the whole thing felt wrong. But he'd assured me over and over all day that things would be fine.

After last night I regretted allowing him to be in the position he was. Suddenly I didn't care if the entire wizarding population was defending him, I didn't want him to be baited. It might be irrational, but it was how I felt. Telling him that I loved him was a confession that I still hoped he may not have heard, but all the same I meant it. I needed him now, and nothing was going to change that.

"I know it will." I finally replied. This was it, our last moment alone before we met up with Harry and the mission began. He grasped my upper arms tightly, and looked into my eyes, absorbing me with his gaze. He was searching for the doubt there, and obviously picking up on it.

"I told you, Malfoys keep their promises." He said sternly. All I could do was nod, I trusted him. I trusted that he believed he would be okay, but I still wasn't sure. I didn't want him to go out there. But I didn't know how to say anything like that, so I got on my tip toes and pressed my lips against his, slowly deepening the kiss so I could fully explore what was now mine. My heart throbbed with difficulty as he kissed me back with passion for only a moment, and then broke it off. He kissed me two times more, chastely and sweetly, staring into my eyes. He was trying to assure me of all the things I couldn't bear to say. He was trying to tell me to calm down. It wasn't working. But time was up. He stepped into the green flames and I followed him. I'd never been this upset to head to the burrow.

"Good, you're just in time Evans." Harry's voice shot above the rest, it looked like we were the last to arrive. The burrow was home base, where I could be located through the mission. Thanks to Harry, muggle innovations had been made in the auror field, giving me a live video and audio feed to what exactly was going on, but it hardly put my mind at ease. I wanted to be out there with him.

Draco snatched up my hand and gave it a squeeze while Harry went over the basic plan one more time. We expected it to last 2 hours, tops. If the death eaters were going to attack it wouldn't be after then. My stomach swished nervously once again as I looked around the room. All of these aurors were more than capable of handling this situation, Draco could probably do it himself, but I was still uneasy. I couldn't find a sense of relief in anything. Something felt wrong.

Once again I cursed myself for not taking the time I had left, because before I knew it the only people left in the room were the people staying there. Draco was still holding tightly to my hand when Harry gave him a nod that I wasn't sure I understood. Before I could question him about it his lips were on my hair.

"I'll see you tonight." He whispered to me, and with a chaste kiss and gripping hug, he was gone.

"Alright Hermione, here's the thing." Harry said urgently, grasping my upper arms. Had I not been numb from Draco's sudden departure, I would have been paying more attention, but all I wanted was Draco. "Draco's worried you're going to try to get out on the field." He said seriously. I frowned, suddenly irritated that he doubted me.

"I don't have plans to." I said quickly. It wasn't exactly true, but it would send me into a panic if they locked me up until the mission was over. It would be hours until I knew what happened, if he was okay.

"He asked me to detain you until it's over. I told him I would but I'm willing to let you stay here if you promise me that you'll stay until I give you an order not to." He said gravely. I nodded. Normally I would be angry, offended even that he was treating me this way, but at this point I didn't care. I didn't care about anything except letting the next two hours pass by and having Draco's arms wrapped around me once more.

"I promise I'll stay." I said without hesitation. He measured my words for a moment, searching for a hint of dishonesty.

"Don't make me regret putting you here. Don't do anything rash because you're attached to him." He continued, giving me a meaningful look.

"I won't Harry I swear." I promised. I wasn't sure if I meant it. I didn't want to break that trust, but if I thought for even one second that Draco was overpowered I would be the first to rush to his aid. I made a deal with myself in that moment, swearing that I would only go if it meant life or death. Those lines though, were always a little blurry. With that he crushed me in a hug, and he was gone too. I tried not to let fear and anxiety run me over, instead I did what I could and watched for the longest few hours of my life.

At first it was nerve wracking, watching Draco run errands, just waiting for death eaters to pop up out of nowhere, but everything was going smoothly. Soon things began to go too smoothly.

Something was wrong. It'd been three hours and I was sitting on the edge of my seat, squirming nervously. I was chewing on my bottom lip so relentlessly that I tasted blood, but it didn't matter, something was wrong. My instincts told me to pull the mission. My instincts told me to retreat. I studied the video feed again, unsurprised to find everyone and everything far too calm. I had a firm grip on my wand, ready to contact Harry and pull the mission, but I persisted just a little longer, his words burning in the back of my mind. _"Don't make me regret putting you here. Don't do anything rash because you're attached to him." _This was different than that though, they would have attacked by now. Draco had been pretending to run errands alone for hours. They knew, they had to. I flipped through the lot of us again in my mind, positive that every last auror on this mission was someone that I'd trusted personally, and yet the only explanation possible was that we had a leak. Somehow the death eaters knew that this was a set up.

Just as I let out a sigh and prepared myself to contact Harry, Draco beat me to it. I breathed a sigh of relief to find that Draco stomping through the door moments later, completely unscathed. He was perhaps grumpy, livid even, but he was just fine. Harry wasn't a beat behind him and stood next to us wordlessly, obviously baffled. Moments later the he apparently made the call to pull the mission and the rest of the aurors joined us in the house. Even with Draco right beside me, close enough to touch, I was still on guard, something was still very wrong. We were still in danger. I couldn't help but breathe a small sigh of relief in knowing that Draco was with me, that we could protect each other. I took comfort in his presence, even if it was only a miniscule amount.

"What went wrong?" Harry finally asked to no one in-particular. He paced the lot of us, and Draco finally put me out of my nervous misery by snatching up my hand.

"I don't get it." He grumbled, still wandering among us, as if looking for someone to blame.

"They couldn't have known it was a set-up, at least not for the first two hours." Draco muttered. "I was careful, we were all careful. Something went wrong on their side." He proposed. I shook my head.

"Or we have a leak." I said rather loudly, causing every head to turn in my direction. Harry's eyes widened and then he shot his attention back to the other aurors, as if he was trying to scan them.

"I don't think that's it Hermione." Draco added, not looking at me. "If we had a leak we'd know by now, all of the aurors were tested and put through multiple precautions to be put on this case. It was fool-proof." He bit out the last part with venom, obviously as frustrated as the rest of us. I knew it didn't make sense, but something had gone wrong and my instincts told me it wasn't over yet. Even though I was standing here with Draco, perfectly aware that he was safe my stomach continued to swish inside me nervously. The worst hadn't happened yet, I knew it.

"Their motives may have changed." Harry contemplated. "It has been two weeks, maybe they've decided we'd be prepared for an ambush and they decided to retrieve their information by other means." He trailed off. I followed his train of thought nervously my hands clamming up.

"If that's true they'll do something rash. Chances are they've been planning for it since Hermione's attack fell through." Draco added. The rest of the aurors were silent, on alert, but it didn't calm me in the slightest.

"Hermione, are you any good at wand scanning?" Harry asked suddenly.

"Yeah it's pretty basic." I answered automatically, looking around for something out of place still.

"I want you to scan all the aurors wands, make sure there isn't any sign of a leak. Just so we can definitely factor that out." He added justly. I nodded, releasing Draco's hand, but before I could step forward, Kingsley's voice boomed from the fireplace.

"Mr. Potter." He nodded at Harry.

"Kingsley." Harry replied.

"We need you abroad. There's been another murder and the aurors think that it might have been the death eaters we've been attempting to track." He said grimly. Harry nodded and I swallowed nervously, my throat suddenly feeling dry.

"Take Mr. Evans with you. We need one of the case heads here in case something goes awry." He added. I felt my stomach pinch again in nervousness as I realized this was what I had been fearing. Something had gone wrong and so my best friend and boyfriend were being sent off into the unknown to find it.

"Your portkey leaves from the ministry in five minutes." He said before he disappeared. Draco turned to me instantly, and took both my hands in his. He looked at me, his grey eyes searching mine momentarily before pulling me into a tight all-encompassing hug.

"I'll be back soon. Tonight." He whispered roughly into my hair and I nodded in the crook of his neck, fighting off tears. Harry coughed loudly, but I ignored him, holding on to Draco for one more brief moment before he nudged away.

"Be back soon Hermione. Stay here with Ginny tonight, just to be safe." Harry said, giving me a much less urgent embrace and disappearing into the ashes, Draco just behind him. I was horrified.

.

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><p>.<p>

"It doesn't make sense." I grunted, get more frustrated by the minute. My state of unease was reaching a near panic level as Potter finally spoke.

"I know." He seethed. I didn't bother looking at him, as much as I rivaled him, was annoyed by him and even hated him, we had something in common. We'd both left the people we cared about back home, without us.

"Why wouldn't Kingsley have you take Hermione? Or really why wouldn't he have you take another one of the aurors?" I grumbled again, asking rhetorical questions was getting us no-where, but I had to vent to someone. Hermione's plan was perfect, I still didn't understand. Being away from her was the last thing I needed, and although I was certain that we didn't have a leak, if she was attacked while I was gone I wouldn't be able to forgive myself. He should have kept her detained just a little longer.

"It should be any second now." Harry said quietly as we both held onto the portkey. "I don't know why he'd have you go instead of Hermione. Frankly it baffles me as well." The last part of his sentence was cut off as we both pinched into nothingness and back to reality on a new set of ground. I turned around to see the small, cottage-like home in front of me, seemingly existing happily in the quiet neighborhood.

"A pair of muggles? Something's wrong here." I repeated for what was probably the thousandth time as we flung open the door, wands at the ready. We were greeted by ten other aurors and I took a good look around. The house almost had an air of familiarity that made me shutter.

"Bullocks." I only caught the last part of Harry cursing when I turned to see the problem. He looked horrified over the middle-aged couple that lay on the ground before him, cold and dead. I was momentarily alarmed and confused by his reaction, surely he had enough gut to be able to stomach a few murders, he was an auror for Christ sake. He was devastated, and I couldn't even begin to understand what was going on here. I was angry, and I needed to get back to Granger, now.

"They were put under the cruciatis at least four times each." A nameless auror commented. My brow furrowed, this was more than just a killing for them then. They couldn't have wanted anything from these people, they wouldn't have tortured them for information, it was either for their own disturbing amusement or to send a message to whoever found them.

I opened my mouth to voice my opinions to Potter when I saw that he'd sunken to his knees, still staring blankly between the man and the woman. Becoming more frustrated with my confusion I made to ask him what the big deal was but thought better than to upset the grown up orphan. I glanced around the room again and noticed the odd solemn quality every auror seemed to possess. What the bloody hell was wrong with these people, they dealt with murder all the time, one couple shouldn't make that much of a difference. I shuddered as I thought that, murder was murder after all.

In the silence I looked back to the dead couple, their hands nearly touching and a chill ran up my spine. Something here was too familiar, something here was wrong.

"How long until this news reaches your wizarding community?" Potter seemed to awaken from his trance to snap at the nearest auror.

"It'll be light in two hours. Shouldn't be long after that." He answered in that same tone that confused me to my core. I felt as though there was some big secret that I hadn't been let in on, one that I almost knew, but couldn't grasp.

"Distill the news as long as you can. Have you done a full report?" Potter asked, his voice becoming more professional as he stood slowly.

"We have." The other auror paused, and when he continued to speak, I didn't hear him, I was suddenly disturbed and enthralled by the woman that lay dead on the floor. Though her eyes were glassy and cold with death, I felt like she was looking right through me. My heart began to beat faster when I noticed the slightly bushy quality that she had to her hair…

Hermione's parents lived in a small cottage in Australia. Someone had wanted to send a message directly to her.

"Fucking hell." I gasped tearing my eyes from the woman as quickly as I could. I locked eyes with Potter and he nodded, as if to answer the question I'd never ask, the one I already knew the answer to.

"You should go. I won't be long here, just the usual stuff. You should tell her before someone else does." He said quickly and quietly. He held my gaze for a moment and then turned away. I didn't even think before I went, I turned on the spot and with a crack I was gone.

"Fucking HELL!" I screamed upon entering the apparition zone just outside the burrow. I hadn't been thinking properly. Although I'd concentrated I didn't think about how far the journey would be. The apparition had splinched me, that much I knew. I screamed in pain once more, feeling the stinging sensation of torn skin in my right arm.

"Draco? Draco!" I heard Hermione's agonized scream, but I couldn't see her. My rationale told me that she was close and that my splinch was not as bad as it could be. I stayed as still as possible laying there, knowing that the less I moved, the better. I fought my adrenaline, desperate to see her, knowing that I had to be the one to tell her, before someone else did. This was hardly the point in time that I wanted to lose my strength.

"Stop moving!" She hissed, apparently much closer to me than I'd thought. I was barely able to register the fact that she was straddling me, her wand closing the incisions that I'd caused myself. I knew the splinch wasn't half as bad as I'd originally thought, because I definitely thinking of other things while she was in such a compromising position. I shook the thought from my head, disgusted. I didn't want to look at her, knowing what I knew. She continued to chant under her breath and pour some ghastly liquid over my soon to be scarred skin.

"Draco, are you alright? What, are you mad? Why would you do that? You know you can't apparate that far! I swear sometimes you're so big-headed! Were you trying to worry me?" Her questions rattled on but her heart wasn't in it. She clung to my body and I buried my face in her hair. I couldn't help myself, I knew I needed to speak, but I just wanted to comfort her, I wanted to hold her.

"Hermione." I mumbled, forcing her off me to stand.

"Sit! Gods, you are trying to get yourself killed." She huffed, but I ignored her.

"We need to go inside." I urged, barely able to spit out my words through head-rush I received when standing up. She seemed to look concerned and put her arm around my waist, bracing my other arm over her shoulder. I resisted and settled for letting her arm bind around my waist. I gritted my teeth against the shooting pain and realized that I would be physically just fine. I had to be, I might have to restrain her.

"What's wrong?" Is Harry alright?" She asked, in a panic once again. I nodded stiffly, gaining back my balance as we walked through the door.

"Oh Gods!" Cried Mrs. Weasley, throwing things out of our path to the couch. "What happened? Are you alright? Is Harry alright!" She grew more panicked with each question and I cleared my throat, sitting down as best I could. "He's fine, and so am I." I answered her.

"Please, lay down." Hermione pleaded. The boisterous noises of the Weasley family soon filled the room and tension built as they waited for my explanation. The aurors maintained a professional demeanor as they too waited for me to speak. The pain in my arm had not subsided, but a new kind of ache was forming in the cavity of my chest. I needed something to drink. I glanced around, looking for a confidant, but the red-headed gaggle was not one that I'd ever thought I could trust. Hermione could tell I was struggling with something, as she knelt in front of me, holding my hands, looking up at me.

I looked up again, realizing that I might just need someone to help me keep her here.

"Do you trust me?" I mumbled, looking down at her, trying my best to ignore the dozen other occupants of the room.

"Well…yes." She nodded quickly, biting her lip nervously. I swallowed hard, ignoring the minor swell of pride in my chest.

"Then give me your wand." I whispered slowly. She looked confused and then suspicious for a moment. "Hermione. Trust me." I whispered again. She searched my eyes for what felt like the longest few moments of my life before she wordlessly handed the stick over. I decided that it would be better for the nearest Weasley to hang on to it, in case she decided to tackle me for it. I gave it to George who took it and put it in his back pocket, looking crossed between confused and devious.

"What happened, tell me. Everything." She said, staring up at me once more. I glanced around, realizing that there would be an audience whether I liked it or not, and grasped both her hands tightly in mine.

"I apparated back as soon as I realized…" I began, but I knew it wasn't the right place to start. She shook her head, confused, her mouth opening as if to question me, but I continued.

"When Potter and I got there, the aurors had already done most of the report and it was a muggle couple that was murdered." Her breath fell as sadness claimed her features, but I knew the worst wasn't over.

"They'd been crucio'd several times over." I winced and she did the same.

"Why a muggle couple?" She whispered. I didn't want to tell her. I wanted to run.

"To send a message to…us." I swallowed hard but she still didn't get it.

"Us?" She asked.

"To you." I amended with a heavy heart. I watched as her breathing took off at an unhealthy pace. I wanted to cry, or to take it back. I didn't know. I just needed this to be over. I needed her to be okay. "Hermione just stay calm." I whispered but she shook her head again, obviously confused.

"What are you talking about, I am calm." I glanced up and saw Ronald Weasley staring back at me, his expression confused and angry as well. Out of impulse, I lowered myself to my knees too, so I was level with her face, and I grasped her hands even tighter. She grew more and more anxious as I saw her eyes become wild with panic. Her heart was beating so fast that I found it hard to even speak to her.

"What is going on?" She commanded.

"Hermione, it was in Australia." I croaked. I felt her hands go limp in mine, and I shook my head, trying to keep her gaze from glazing over. She was slipping from me, I could feel it.

"Who?" She said loudly, her voice squeaking. I wished I could tell her something else, anyone else. It physically pained me to speak.

"It was your parents."

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><p><strong>An Hey Everyone! I know this was a ridiculously quick update, so review review review if you're thankful for it :) I hope you like this chapter, please let me know what you think about the way the mission happened, or what you think is going on. I love hearing your thoughts, I take them into consideration as I write. Please continue with the lovely reviewing, it makes me write faster :) It will be another week/ week and a half before the next chapter, I'm having trouble with it. Be kind. Thanks! **

**-Onalee**


	20. Crumbled

"You succeeded then?" Her shrill voice rang through the small room sending shivers through his body. She may not be able to touch him, but her wrath did just as much psychologically as physically, he knew that.

"Of course, the girl is non-responsive. She's broken." My brother sniggered, pleased with his work. I smirked, my head still bowed, waiting for her reaction.

"It's about time you did _something_ correctly." She spat bitterly. I winced at the venom in her tone, clearly unimpressed with our kill but I wasn't surprised. "And the man?" She asked. I shied away from the question, hoping he would answer for the both of us.

"We don't recognize him. He wasn't one of us, and if he was he was low in ranks, not even worth our time." He answered quickly. We waited for her response, not daring to look at her. I cringed out of habit.

"You're useless, both of you." She replied.

"He hasn't left her side though, you were right, he's attached to her, and killing the mudblood's parents sent them a message." I swallowed a lump in my throat.

"Of course it did. Then you proceed as planned. Tell me you got what you needed?" She drawled, bored.

"Yes, both of their hair, a lot of it. The polyjuice potion should work." I managed.

"Fine. It had better work. We all know the best way to get to Potter and his little friends is to destroy the ones he loves."

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I read once: "There is no grief like the grief that does not speak." I never understood it until the moment I saw my parents, cold and dead in front of my eyes. I had no more words for my anguish, no more tears for my devastation. My anger had no volume, everything I felt was mute. Days, seconds, weeks and hours held the same mark of time. Eventually the many faces that offered their condolences all blurred together, and not even Harry's empathy could reach me. Through the days that passed, I barely remembered anything. The depression drugged me. The shock made me aloof. I just floated through the hours with nothing to describe my existence. I had no fight left in me. The persistent drive that had kept me going through the years of war and loss was now just a tiny nudge that came every few moments, reminding me to breathe, forcing me to live. I was numb. Physically, emotionally and mentally, I was numb. All the pressure was already getting to me, I was already finding cracks in my resolve, but taking my parents had been the removal of the most crucial jenga block in my life tower. Without them I crumbled to the ground.

Draco was there. He comforted me more than I thought he was capable of. He held me when the dry sobbing wracked my body at night. He made sure I ate, and tried to make sure I was sleeping. When he was gone he sent someone to keep me company. And he never said that he was sorry. He never asked me what he could do. He never told me I was going to be okay. It was the greatest comfort of all, the silence that he shared with me. He knew that nothing he could say would help me, and so he grieved with me. He gave me something to hold on to.

I began to fear being alone. Although Draco saw to it that I wasn't, there were rare moments when Harry would be called away to work and I would sit idly for a moment or an hour, waiting for someone to return. I began to hear them. My parents' voices, like whispers. They would call my name, or tell me to not be sad. Sometimes they would tell me to come with them. To be with them. Sometimes I felt like I was going insane. I desperately wanted to ask someone about it, but asking Draco would only cause him worry, and I wasn't sure I wanted Harry to know, especially since he'd never mentioned anything like it happening to him. So I shook the thoughts and voices, telling myself that I just needed to keep going, to keep surviving.

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"How is she?" I demanded upon landing in the fireplace of Granger's flat.

"No better than when you left her." Ronald said grumpily. His previous venom was only lingering, which frightened me. If he was too tired to bicker with me, then he'd probably had no luck with Hermione, or worse he'd fought with her. Ron was the last person I wanted to leave Hermione with, but after the entire Weasley family all but goaded me into letting Ron comfort her I conceded. They'd gone on and on about how he was there for her after the war, and they'd helped each other through things. As much as it pained me to admit it, Weasley had been with Hermione through her grief once, and it was probably wise to do whatever I could to help her.

I'd gone through grief, of course. I hadn't loved anyone lost on my side of the war, I mean I'd been friends with some of them, it wasn't…easy. I never considered myself to be in grief though, and I'd never come to love and lose someone who was good and kind. I lost my father in a sense, and I loved him. Although it pained me to admit it, and I certainly never _liked_ him, I did love my father. I had lost him in a significant way, probably the most important way. Over time I saw the light leave his eyes and now he was gone, but I never grieved for him. At times I felt lost and angry with him, and I heard my mother cry for him, but I never dealt with it, not the way Granger was. It wasn't the same. They were innocent people. My father was a monster. He was alive and they were dead, so I couldn't relate to her, not really.

But I was there. I tried to be there at least. I held her every night, I slept in her bed with her, waiting until her breathing slowed and her eyes dried before I allowed myself to catch any rest. With Mrs. Weasley we made funeral arrangements, and I stood by Granger through each step. Although I wanted to run, her small hand in mine kept me grounded, reminded me that she _needed_ me there. She never reached for anyone else, she always clung to me. At first, I didn't understand. I thought she would run right into the orphan boy Potter's arms and wail out her sadness with him, taking comfort in his empathy. Although she spent time talking to Harry, letting him comfort her, whatever he said didn't quell her grief in the slightest. She grew irritated and withdrawn as people offered kind words and condolences. I understood that much. I understood why she would be upset that people were telling her it would be fine. They couldn't understand.

She barely spoke, she didn't eat much either. But the second day of the viewing, after people were leaving, she pulled me into the study and asked sheepishly if I could read something to her. So we read. Every day she picked out a new book, and while she found comfort in my arms, I read to her. I would have done anything to ebb her pain, for it pained me as well. Seeing her hurt was agonizing, watching the glint in her eyes return with every turn of a page was a small price to pay. If she wasn't so devastated it would have been a pleasant memory. We didn't talk about her parents, she said that she heard about them enough. I would have felt guilty that I had no words to comfort her if she hadn't pulled me aside after the funeral.

"Thank you." She mumbled into my chest, before stepping away from the fireplace. We'd just gotten back to her flat after the funeral and wake at the Weasley's.

"For what?" I asked. I was completely useless. There was nothing I could do but watch her suffer, and hold her hand. It made my blood boil and I was already beginning to think of how I was going to make Rabastan and Rodolphus pay.

"Not saying anything, not lying to me, not treating me like a child. You're the most honest comfort I have." She whispered.

After that night I'd taken a small comfort in the fact that she didn't find me completely useless. She said I was helping her and although I doubted I was, if it was what made her happy, then I would continue to do it.

It was three weeks ago that they buried her parents and only once had we spoken of the case. I told her that she wasn't to think about it. I knew it would only make her angry. It was what they wanted after all, they wanted her to be so blinded by fury that she acted rashly, or went looking for them in revenge. They were setting her up, sending her a big bloody message, and I would make sure that she did not respond.

She was reluctant at first, to take some time for her grief, but I was insistent. I told her that they would want to find her weak like this. It would be too easy for them. Hesitantly she agreed, but it wasn't until I made her a routine that she stopped pestering about it too much. Each morning I would make sure she had a visitor. And I would make sure that visitor had things for her to do while I was gone. I needed her mind to be far away while I was working on the case. I had to know that at the very least she wasn't completely depressing herself even further by focusing on the grief.

Most days the Weasley-Potter came to the flat. Often times she had muggle videos and things with her. Though I didn't understand and suppressed a scowl each time she flooed through with yet another muggle device, they seemed to keep Hermione's mind off things. Sometimes when I got back she was even smiling, laughing and eating. That was what kept me going, hearing Hermione laugh.

Then Potter would take Ginny home, and Hermione and I would read together. Sometimes I read aloud, and other times we both read silently. She sometimes asked me what I was up to, but she never pushed, and I never lied. She was getting a little better. I was sure of it. I wasn't one to stand by and watch her suffer though. I was focused completely on solving the case.

During the day, each day I'd been meeting with Potter, sometimes Kingsley, the aurors and order members. I'd decided the moment I watched Hermione break down that I was done sitting idly on the sidelines of this case, it was time to do something. I'd taken every lead on Rabastan and Rodolphus that I could find, and I was getting close.

I'd followed them several times, and it took all the restraint I had not to kill them upon contact. I knew I had to be less rash. I had to just listen to them, to understand what they were doing in order to conceive ultimate pain for them. As I'd predicted, they'd decided my identity was no longer worth researching, and they were waiting for Granger to be so disheveled that she would come to them. They were sure she would come to them and they were sure that Potter would come to her rescue and they were to kill him.

I assumed it was to launch a campaign for themselves. They would use the death of Harry Potter to help unite to Voldemort sympathizers under their power. It was a fairly simple execution, and very easy to see through. Their main goal was Potter, and they wouldn't get to him unless they got to Hermione. I was pretty unconcerned about him, because I knew that not a single hair would be misplaced on Hermione's head, I would make sure of it. As long as I was certain of that, their plot could go no further. But I sensed that their patience was running low. And from what I'd heard of their leader, she was a force to be reckoned with.

Learning that the Lestranges were following a woman was a shock, and although it could just be that they said "she" in public to cover their tracks I doubted they were smart enough for such things. We'd stopped bothering to even capture the Lestranges, what we wanted now was to figure out who they were following and why. We had no leads, no suspects and no ideas so we were left with no choice but to strike or wait for them to do so. I decided with the latter. Putting up with the late night meetings to sort through the ridiculous schemes and plots that Potter and his auror sidekicks came up with was tiring, and on days like today, when it meant that a ridiculous scheme involving a dummy kept Hermione with the Weasel for an hour, it got under my skin.

I ignored Weasley's comment striding towards the study to find her curled up in a ball on the sofa, sleeping. My anger subsided with relief and my whole posture changed. Watching Granger sleep had become a huge source of comfort for me. Although she was getting better I still saw the sadness in her eyes when she spoke with me. In her sleep she seemed peaceful, happy even. I reached out and covered her with the throw from the back of the sofa, brushing a curl from her forehead. I could have stared at her the rest of the night, and it wasn't even late. Maybe I could actually get some work done here.

For the past three weeks I devoted the time I stayed at the flat completely to Granger. During the day I did work, and when I went home to her, I gave her my undivided attention. I told myself that I didn't work at the flat because I didn't want her mind anywhere near the case, and while that was true, I probably couldn't have focused much with her there anyway.

"She only just fell asleep. She had quite a fit, said she saw her mum and Dad, clear as day." He shrugged. "She acted right mental, so I had Daisy fix her some sleeping draught in her tea. She was shaking and cursing. She swore she saw them, I've never seen her so off her rocker." He shook his head in pity. Before I could even think about it I had him back into the corner, disarmed, my wand at his throat.

"What the bloody hell is wrong with you!" He yelped, attempting to shove me off with no avail.

"You drugged her?" My voice was low and I was trembling with rage. How dare he even touch her, let alone poison her in her own home. If it weren't for her small sleeping form reminding me of my humanity just a yard away I would have finished him off myself.

"Shove off Malfoy! She was out of her right mind, I don't have to answer to you!" He shouted. I whipped my head in the direction of Hermione as she made a small sound and stirred in her sleep. Suddenly I was uncomfortable with the fact that the Weasel was here watching her sleep, hearing her private sounds. My fury heightened.

"Keep your voice down." I warned, training my eyes back on him. "Listen to me very carefully Weasley, if you ever, ever pull a stunt like this again I won't care what she says, I will personally see to it that you're in St. Mungos for the rest of your pathetic life." I spat, satisfied with his silence. I shoved him off abruptly and thrust his wand at his chest.

"Get out." I said with finality. He gathered himself, and taking his wand, he puffed out his chest and retreated toward the fireplace before turning around to face me.

"You know Malfoy, you might have Hermione and even sometimes Harry fooled by this act of yours. Maybe you even believe it yourself, that you're good enough for her, that you've changed." He started quietly, taking one step toward me. I tensed, my wand trained on him. I was confused by his calmness, it was unlike him.

"And when my family says that I need to be happy for her, and that I just need to move on, I can't, because someday she's going to see you pull a stunt like _that _and she'll realize you're the same coward that called her a mudblood her whole life, and that's when I'll be there. You can't hide who you are forever Malfoy, but good luck trying." Then he turned and left, leaving me standing in the living room, shaking with rage. Since when did Weasley grow a vocabulary?

I sat in the study across from Hermione, fuming. It was uncharacteristic for me to let anything Weasley said get to me, but the stress must have been getting to me because his words were spinning around in my mind, infecting me. I couldn't afford to think of anything other than Granger or the case right now, but as usual, Weasley liked to mess up my plans. When I heard Hermione stir in her sleep I was shaken from my thoughts, paying attention to her. I knew I was going to have to tell her about his little sleeping draught stunt, but what I was more worried about was what had happened to cause it. He said she was hysterical, and although I never took anything he said too seriously, I was concerned for Granger, more now than ever. It was crucial to all my plans that she continue to grieve and get through her depression safely and soundly at her flat with no complications.

"Draco?" Hermione sat up slowly, yawning as she stretched.

"Hermione." I answered, sitting down next to her. She sighed and took my hand in hers, smiling softly.

"I missed you." I did my best to smile back at her, but I was worried. I was stressed.

"I missed you too." I replied. She settled into a comfortable position, crossing her legs so she was facing me, her hand still in mine.

"Tell me how things are, how they _really _are. I hate to see you stressed over _my _job." She tried to scowl at me, but I could tell she was just exhausted by her day as I was from mine.

"It's my job too you know." I muttered, stroking her cheek with my thumb. "And I'm more concerned with the scene you made with Weasley, are you alright?" I asked seriously. I didn't want to push her, but if he felt the need to actually drug her and she'd allowed it to happen, something had probably gone wrong.

"Oh, that." She said, her face falling. "It was nothing, embarrassing really." She said quickly, looking down.

"Doesn't seem like nothing." I whispered, nudging her chin up to look at me. "What's going on Granger?" I said more forcefully.

"It's just that I sometimes see my parents, it's just that I remember what they look like really clearly and it's almost like they're there. It was just silly, I was tired and I overreacted, sorry to have worried you." She said. I appraised her answer for a moment, concerned that she was telling me something, but she seemed honest. "And what about you? What's going on with the case? I know you don't want me to think about it but your problems are my problems, in this case literally, and I'm going crazy being cooped up with nothing to think about but them. So tell me what's happening." She demanded, settling back against my chest. I wrapped my arms around her, thinking about my way out of the situation. I didn't want to be dishonest with her, she saw right through me, however I really didn't want her to think about the case. I decided I'd take baby steps.

"Just simulating the death eaters moves and motives. We've got locations and team, now we're just deciding where and when to attack. We want to wait until they go see their leader, we just have to make sure that's where they're headed when we attack, we've only got one shot at it." I said slowly and carefully, measuring her reaction. She nodded, drawing non-existent patterns on my arm.

"I suppose you're not going to tell me their motives, or their location?" She said a little too casually.

"Their motives rely heavily upon your reaction to the _message_ they sent." I bit out the last part, barely able to keep the venom from my voice. She cringed in response and I trailed my fingers up and down her shoulder, trying to soothe her. "Which is why you're not in the plans. They're sure you will react in some way, their plans depend on your reaction, which is why you won't react at all. You indifference will throw their plans overboard, confuse them and lead us right to their leader." I said suavely. It sounded so easy when I said it like that, too bad we still had to simulate Hermione having a reaction to even dream of getting their attention. She nodded again.

"It sounds like everything is going okay." She said slowly. "Will you keep telling me what you do? I'm trying to get back into the swing of things. I don't like being like this." She said in a much meeker voice, facing me.

"Of course. But I still think you're doing so well. You're so much better. You're strong, much stronger than I am." I mumbled against her neck, kissing her lightly. Her smell alone calmed me. She made it impossible to think of anything other than her.

"I told Ginny not to come by tomorrow. I want to be alone." She said in a firm tone. I stiffened and met her eyes.

"You freaked out today. Give it another day. Maybe next week. Take it slow Hermione there's no shame in that." I persuaded, trying to keep the strain from my voice. She had no idea how much it stressed me when she was alone. Even for brief moments I liked to make sure she had company, it gave me peace of mind and allowed me to focus. If she was alone the only thing I would be able to think about would be her.

"Draco, it's time. I grieved, and I'm still grieving and I probably will continue to do so for a long time but I'm Hermione Granger, and it's time that I got up and faced things." She stated. "I'm ready." She assured me in a softer tone, taking my face into her hands. I got lost in her eyes for a moment, wanting to melt at her words, but I shook my head. If she was alone I wouldn't get anything done, which would put her in danger.

"I don't want you to be alone so soon. You panicked today. Give it one more week, please Hermione." I knew it was futile to argue with her, and this was too important. She would be with someone tomorrow one way or another, I would make sure of it. It was at important that I at least pretended to compromise with her, if not she would only act more stubborn and do something rash. She was too unstable. If she reacted in any way to the death of her parents outside of the flat it would be an opportunity for the death eaters and she wouldn't stand a chance, not while she was so emotional. She scrutinized me for a moment and then crossed her arms over her chest with a huff, pulling away.

"Fine." She said through pursed lips.

"Granger, come on." I groaned.

"No. I'm an adult _Malfoy_." She argued.

"_Hermione_, don't. I just want peace of mind while I try to finish this, and then you can be alone all you want, if you want." I tried, and she momentarily let down her angry façade, looking slightly wounded.

"I don't want to be _alone_, I just don't want to be babysat. And when this is over, I want to be alone with_ you_. Unless that's not what _you _want." She said with anger in her voice. I sighed again. I was exhausted. I was tired and I was never one for words. I took her into my arms and although she was tense she relaxed into my embrace. I kissed the top of her hair, and then her forehead, the tip of her nose and finally her lips.

"Hermione." I mumbled against her lips. "_All_ that I want is to be alone with you." I said between kisses. "It would be easier to get there if you didn't give me anxiety attacks while I finish this case for us." I said.

She smacked my shoulder playfully, and smiled against my lips, returning the kiss passionately. She climbed into my lap and snuggled herself to me further, kissing across my jaw and then placing tantalizing kisses at my neck.

"Fine." She said begrudgingly. I smirked knowingly and kissed her lips once more.

"Thank you."

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**a/n Hi everyone, sorry for the delay. I had a hard time cranking out this chapter. I wasn't sure how I wanted to do it but I'm okay with the way it turned out. I hope you all like it! The next chapter will be back to normal, with more POV from Hermione, I only did it this way because I thought it was appropriate to display her grief without making everything too depressing to read. **

**Please read and review, :) I'm not too sure how many more chapters this will have, but we're well past the half way point I think! Thanks for the reviews! **

**-Onalee **


	21. Seeking Comfort

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or his wizarding world, that's JKRowlings job **

I assured myself that it was temporary and necessary to my recovery. It was just part of the unusual grief I was experiencing. Although everything became progressively more real with the passing of just a few weeks, I couldn't bear to look at the situation logically. I feared that the moment I allowed myself to say, "this isn't real, this is in my head" I would lose them again, and this time there would be no way to reach them. They weren't ghosts, but they weren't alive either. It was almost they were shells of who they were when I knew them, conjured by my own mind as a tool to say my goodbyes.

It wasn't as though they were the same. They never said much of anything, but they listened to me. They never touched me, but it felt like I could reach out and touch them. They looked so real, so human. I knew it was all in my head, but I couldn't let them go, not yet. I wanted to properly bid them goodbye, and give myself a chance to tell them all the things I never did, even if they were just a part of my imagination. They were my parents, and it's hard to say goodbye to the people who raised you.

"Hermione?" Ginny's voice immediately pulled me from the one-sided conversation I was having with my "mum" and I stood up quickly, meeting her in the living room.

"Ginny? I didn't think you were coming over today." I said, trying to mask the annoyance in my voice. I was grateful for her company, as always, but Draco had promised to start letting me be alone, it was necessary and the next natural step to living my life. I was giving him enough leeway by not demanding to be put back on the case.

I could have gotten back on the job if I had set my mind to it, but Draco made a point. My emotions were heavily invested at this point and that was exactly what the death eaters wanted, they wanted to make me unstable. He convinced me time and time again that if I couldn't pretend it didn't affect me, then I shouldn't even think about it. He was right. Thinking about them for even a second made me bubble with anger, it was far too soon to think about the case again; it screamed conflict of interest.

"I wasn't, but I'd thought maybe you changed your mind and wanted some company." She shrugged with a slight smile. I rolled my eyes at her, either Harry or Draco had flooed her in a panic to check in on me no doubt. In reality it was Ginny who needed checking in on, she needed to take things a little easier with the pregnancy, but she insisted that she was perfectly fine after her little scare.

"Couldn't go a full 12 hours without me?" I scoffed. "Sit down, I'll get us some tea or something." I sighed. It was probably for the best that Ginny had stopped by, or I would have been talking to myself, or rather my _parents_ all day long. Although they only smiled sweetly and hemmed and hawed in the right places, I believe it was helping. It helped to be able to tell them about my life, to make up for the last few years that they knew nothing about. It especially helped to tell them all about Draco.

There was something so painful in knowing that my parents would never really know Draco. It hurt because I saw myself with him, maybe for the long run. Even thinking about a future where my parents didn't exist was gutting. Thinking about a wedding that my parents would be absent for was torture. Knowing that they would never see their grandchildren pained me. As painful as those realizations were, they had me thinking about my future, not only where I would go and the things I would do, but who would stand beside me.

It was hard to imagine anyone other than Draco in any scenario of my future. He'd been so supportive and helpful these last few weeks. In his own way he was comforting. He might not have said much of anything, but our silence was so comforting. He way he touched me said it all. He knew just when to pull me into his arms or to give me my distance. It was like he sensed my tension and knew just what reassuring touch that I needed. He kept me grounded and alive, he gave me hope that I wouldn't be alone, that the grief would eventually subside.

Only months ago I'd been alone. I'd spent my entire life on my work and getting over Ronald. I almost laughed in spite of myself. It felt like those days were so far behind me. Being with Draco made me relish in the importance of my freedom. Where he was forced to work so that someday he could make his own choices I had enslaved myself to working. Being with him made me realize that I was wasteing my time trying to make myself into someone I wasn't when there was a whole world out there waiting to help me discover who I _was._ Without Draco I might not have seen that, and I certainly wouldn't know what to do now. I shivered at the thought, trying not to dwell.

I spent hours telling my mum about him. There was something so final about sharing the grief I was experiencing over her, with her. It was so strange and yet so therapeutic. It was giving me the painful closure that I needed and desired. The gradual goodbye was keeping me from completely falling apart. My mind was probably doing it to protect me, to help me learn to live with less and less of my parents, and more so with the idea that I would never again get the chance to seek comfort in their arms. Although I hadn't been able to do so for years, I always held a hope in the back of my mind that someday they would remember; someday they would be a part of me again. Maybe in their death they _were_ with me again, but that was too much to think about. I shook the thoughts from my head, heading back to Ginny.

"Harry thought that neither one of us should be alone in our respective states." She snorted, but I could tell she was just as exhausted with the situation as I was. We were both tired of this case, and I was sure she was tired of being pregnant. Although she was glowing, her ballooning stomach was beginning to take its toll on her ankles, her back and just about everything else. She was ready for little James Potter to come out already.

"It's not the worst idea he's ever had." I shrugged, sinking down comfortably in my chair. "Any idea when he and Draco will be off work?" I mused, trying not to let on how little I knew of what _work_ actually entailed.

"Home for dinner I presume. I gather you've taken their advice to back off the case? Not very Hermione-like if you ask me." She said casually, taking a sip of her hot drink. I sighed again, she had a point there. It wasn't like me to sit on the sidelines, it never had been. In the face of grief I'd always marched through, but this time was so different. It was a blatant attack to me personally, and the last thing I wanted to do was to buy into it. My instincts told me to get angry, but my brain was telling me that the more detached I became the easier it would be to logically finish the case. I didn't trust myself especially while I was 'seeing' my parents on a regular basis. I didn't know what to do.

"I'll get too angry. I'll do something rash." I tried to explain without getting emotional. "If there's anyone in this world I trust to finish this it's Draco and Harry." I said seriously. She nodded, thinking.

"I may have been unfair about that." She said lightly, rocking back and forth in her seat. "He's certainly been good for you these last few weeks. He's gone far above my expectations of him, Harry's too." She said softly. I measured her expression, taking in her words. It took me a moment to grasp it, but Ginny was attempting to apologize. I tried not to outwardly express my giddiness over the prospect, keeping my face thoughtful.

"It was a bit of a surprise to me too. As you know he isn't exactly the most emotionally available person on the planet." I smirked. She let out a barking laugh.

"That's an understatement." She grinned. For a moment it felt like the times we used to have, when we would sit in her flat and just laugh about the boys, catch up on life and tease each other about anything and nothing. It almost felt normal. "He's better for you than I gave him credit for, maybe even _good_ for you." She said quietly, looking straight ahead. "Harry and I can be happy for you I think, as long as you're happy." She said.

It was as close to an apology as I'd ever heard come out of Ginny's mouth, and it left me a little speechless. If this was her way of saying that she and Harry were willing to accept Draco, it wasn't to be taken lightly. It had been a worrying me for a few days that Draco and Harry would piss each other off while working, but Draco's mood never indicated that he was any angrier than usual at Harry, and this conversation was certainly easing my mind.

"That doesn't mean I like him." She added as an afterthought, letting out a laugh. "Imagine a world where Malfoy and I actually _liked_ each other." She grinned and I beamed back at her, laughing myself. I couldn't really imagine Christmas and birthday parties where Draco would embrace Ginny with ease, but then again a Christmas with the two of them that didn't end in hexes and insults was more than enough for me.

After a few hours of much needed lighthearted conversation, I glanced at the time again, wondering when Draco would be back.

"They aren't doing anything dangerous tonight, if that's what you're wondering." Ginny said seriously, pulling me from my daze.

"Oh, yeah. I assumed that Draco would tell me when their case came to a head." I said as absently as I could. As much as I didn't want to know what was going on, I was dying of curiosity and I wondered if not telling me anything was under-utilizing my logic skills. I was sure Draco could manage to come up with a brilliant plan, but I felt like sitting on the sidelines for the planning portion wasn't completely necessary for me.

"I think it's in the next few days." She said slowly. "Harry would prefer I didn't worry you with the details, but you're Hermione, so I gathered that you'd pieced together what they're doing already." She shrugged. Ginny was watching my expression carefully, gauging my reaction. She knew the plan, and I didn't. I was sure I could get her to tell me, but I wasn't sure I wanted to know. If I knew it would only worry me and anger me.

"Vaugely." I drawled. We locked eyes for a few moments, and she hesitated.

"I'll tell you. You deserve to know." She said, but she didn't sound sure. I nodded slowly preparing myself for what she was about to say.

"I don't know the gritty details, but I have an outline." She started. My heart began to hammer faster in my chest. "Basically they've been following the Lestrange brothers to get a better idea of who they're taking directions from. Harry and Draco are sure that the death eaters are waiting for you to do something rash because of your parents, so they've gone to quite extensive lengths to leak some false information about how you'll be visiting their gravesite unbeknownst to the aurors. It was quite brilliant really, I'm not even sure how they pulled it off, but they managed to make it look like you were defying the aurors to get a moment of privacy to pay your respects. So they'll no doubt strike there. A team of aurors will be there and also where they believe the death eater's headquarters are. It's just an intense ambush." She said with bated breath. My mind raced to catch up with her words, making sense of their plans, looking for holes in their logic. After giving me a look of apprehension she continued.

"They know they'll get all the death eaters, their only worry is whether or not the leader will get away, but as long as they capture enough death eaters they think it's a problem for another day. For whatever reason the leader isn't getting their hands dirty, so there's no immediate danger after incarcerating all the death eaters. Like I said, there's probably a million details I'm leaving out, but you get the point, the plan is going to work this time." She said confidently. I wanted to believe her, except there was one huge detail that everyone seemed to be overlooking.

"But I won't be in the graveyard, they won't follow me there because it's not part of the plan for me to be there. They'll smell the ambush from a mile away." I argued, wondering how anyone could possibly not see that. She gave a small nod, refusing to make eye contact.

"Unless I will be there?" I asked. Clearly she knew something that she wasn't telling me.

"Oh gods no." She sputtered. "It was suggested, but Malfoy all but incapacitated the auror who had the guts to mention it." She grimaced, rolling her eyes. I waited for the alternative answer, my mind still spinning with new information.

"They'll probably use a decoy. Polyjuice potion an auror, or use a spell or something. Trust me the death eaters will be there, and everything will go smoothly." She said assured me. I nodded slowly, drinking in the information, trying to understand how that would be any different from me being there to bait myself. Giving the death eaters what they wanted was probably not the best move. Even though it was the only thing I had the ability to do to help, it was tempting.

"Hermione, Malfoy will maim me if you put a stop to his plans. And we were just starting to be civil. Don't overthink it, I'm just trying to give you some peace of mind. I don't want you to worry. There's strength in numbers and the death eaters will be outnumbered by triple, let someone save _you _for once." She said seriously, begging me to comply with her. I nodded but my mind was somewhere else.

"Hermione I mean it." She said with more bite in her tone. "I'm not well enough to go on the field for this one for obvious reasons, you need to give yourself time to heal too." She said. I took in her words and nodded again, a little more convinced. It was a shock to my system, and I needed to vent to someone about it, to work out my thoughts. And as soon as Ginny left, I knew where to find the perfect listener.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

Upon entering the flat I let out a breath of relief I didn't know I'd been holding. I heard Granger's voice coming from the study, apparently Ginerva hadn't left yet. I allowed myself a small smile and decided to take a quick shower before I greeted her and sent the ginger Potter packing. The case was frustrating, but in the last week we'd made substantial progress. We had a plan, and if all went accordingly in twenty four hours I would finally be free. _We _would be free. I smiled again at the thought after stripping my clothes and stepping into the warm shower. Although the plan wasn't perfect, the most flawed part found itself a solution today, and I was pleased with the decision we reached.

Our biggest obstacle was to get the death eaters to follow Hermione to the graveyard, without her ever being there. Polyjuice had been suggested by several people but I had trouble releasing one of the aurors as bait when we needed as much manpower to surprise the death eaters as we could get. When my least favorite Weasley crashed our meeting and volunteered to be the Hermione stunt double, I was elated. This way we wouldn't lose any valuable duelers, and I wouldn't feel responsible at all if something happened to him. In fact putting Weasley in a little bit of real danger was probably what had me in such a good mood in the first place. The best part was that if anything were to happen it would be all his fault and if someone wanted to put the blame on another person it would surely fall on Potter, who I still can't believe authorized it.

He didn't want to say yes, that much I could tell, but when Weasley started groveling about wanting to do "just this one thing for Hermione" Potter buckled. I grimaced at the thought of Ronald thinking he was saving Hermione. The one thing I knew about Hermione was that she _hated_ it when people put their lives on the line for her. She might be thankful to Weasley for the gesture, but she wouldn't be happy about it. I smirked again. Hermione had been begging me to promise her that I would be out of harm's way for whatever we were planning and I full well intended to be. We had so many aurors working with us that very little could go wrong. The death eaters had no chance of evasion, and our numbers were so overwhelming that they would panic and be careless with their curses. It would be simple and quick.

It would have felt too easy if the last few months hadn't gone so terribly. But with everything we knew now it was only a matter of timing to capture the remaining death eaters and seek out their leader in the process. It was all going to come down to getting Weasley to drink that stupid potion and get in the right spot. I was focusing all my energy on making sure he didn't fuck it up.

I dried myself off and dressed quickly, in a better mood than I had been since I could remember. Today had gone off without a hitch and everything was ready. Finally I got to spend some quality time with Granger and knowing that it was just the beginning only sent me into even better spirits. All I wanted to do after this long and grueling case was to take her to the ends of the earth and back, far away from all of _this_. Until I could make her happy.

"Draco?" I heard her call my name as I entered the study. A grin graced her features, something I hadn't seen in a while. I wrapped my arms around her and greeted her with a fiery kiss, one that she returned, running her fingers through my wet hair.

"I've missed you." She murmured, nuzzling against my chest. I let my chin rest atop her head.

"Did Weasley-Potter just leave?" I asked. As much as I would love to make the ginger Potter gag at the thought of Hermione and I together she was finally starting to act civilly towards me and so was her husband. The last thing I needed was for it to become unbearable to work with Potter again, not that it was pleasant now either.

"She left a few hours ago." She mumbled, kissing my jaw.

"Who were you talking to then?" I asked as casually as I could. I didn't like the idea that someone had been in the flat that I didn't know about, not when we were so close to closing this case. She stiffened in my arms, her heartbeat picking up. She was making me nervous, but I tried not to let her hear the urgency in my tone.

"Hermione?" I pressed, running a finger up and down her spine in a calming motion. She relaxed a little and sighed into my chest before pulling me over the sofa.

"Can I tell you something ridiculous?" She asked, biting her lip nervously and I took a seat next to her, playing with her hands.

"Of course." I said seriously. My patience was running thin and the long silence that followed was not helping. In the last month our conversations had grown in depth and familiarity. We found comfort in both silence and conversation, but every now and then a particularly grueling silence would agitate me.

"Out with it Granger." I said as softly as I could manage. She grabbed the hem of her shirt, picking at non-existent loose threads. It was a nervous habit of hers. I sighed and clasped both her hands in mine, forcing her to stop her busy work. Finally she looked up.

"I like to talk to them." She blurted suddenly, her cheeks flushing scarlet. I quirked an eyebrow, unsure of whom she meant. "My parents I mean, I like to tell them things, like they're here, listening." She amended. I nodded my head slowly in realization. She was talking to her parents, out loud.

"It just makes it easier, and I know it's crazy—

"It's not crazy Hermione." I cut in quickly. It wasn't crazy. Perhaps it wasn't what I expected of Hermione, but it certainly wasn't crazy. I'd been doing a bit of light reading on grief and its phases the past few weeks, trying to do anything to make myself useful and while I found nothing of the sort, I did read that people often spoke with their lost loved ones. It was fairly common, even though she _clearly_ didn't think so.

"I just feel like it's easing the pain of the abruptness of the situation. Talking helps me come to grips with things." She continued as though I hadn't spoken at all, justifying her response. "I mean it won't be forever, I know. It's just something that I do to help things along and I mean I just want to be better. I don't want you to think—

"Granger." I warned, getting her to slow down. "I told you I don't think it's crazy. I think it's normal. And if it helps, then you should do it." I shrugged. If I was being honest, it worried me, but only a little. I fully intended on doing a bit more research on what she was going through later, but if this was what she needed, then so be it. I wouldn't worry about it, at least not for the next 24 hours. As long as she stayed here and was safe that was all I could focus on right now, after tomorrow I would dedicate all my time to helping her in every way I could. Right now, the best I could do was get her mind off of it, off of everything.

"Really?" She asked in a timid voice. I pulled her close to me, so she was curled up in my embrace.

"Really." I confirmed, placing a kiss into her hair. She visibly relaxed against me, trusting the weight of my words.

"I had a good day." She said a little while later, looking up at me while I played with her curls.

"Did you?" I couldn't help but smile at her, I could stay this way forever and be content, and nothing made me happier than her being happy.

"Yeah, Ginny and I had a good time. We just chatted." She sighed softly, closing her eyes and leaning into my touch. "She even said that she was wrong about you and that Harry was too." She smiled with her teeth, clearly impressed by the confession. I raised an eyebrow, surprised myself. I knew that Potter had been making an extra effort to bite back his remarks, but I'd been so absorbed in all things Hermione and death eaters that I didn't take the time to notice why. I could have cared less if the Weasley-Potters hated me for the rest of their bloody lives, but seeing Hermione smile made the news somehow much better to me.

"That's surprising." I noted lightly.

"I know." She beamed. "I'm so glad they're starting to see things my way."

We spent hours on the sofa, content in one another's embrace, it wasn't entirely significant, but then again it was. Granger seemed more at ease now than she had been in weeks. She wasn't entirely happy, nor did I expect her to be, but if she was turning a corner, it was just in time.

"Greece or Aruba?" I mused later while we lay together in her bed, her warm body molded perfectly against mine.

"hmm?" She questioned groggily.

"You would probably enjoy Greece more, considering the massive amount of history there is to take in, but Aruba is so relaxing, it would give us a chance to just _not_ think at all for a while. But then again I'm not sure you would be _you_ if you spent time not thinking." I said. She titled her face towards mine, a questioning smile in place.

"What are you on about Draco?" She smiled, shifting her position so her back was flush with my chest. I rested my chin lazily on her shoulder, trailing kisses up her neck

"I'm just trying to decide where we want to go first. I prefer to whisk you off to the most desirable place first, and I've got it narrowed down to those two." I amended, I carefully watched her expression change from confused to near elation and then into playful thought.

"If you're sure you want me to go with you, I would love to spent time _not_ thinking about anything but _you_ for a while." She answered definitively. Goosebumps traveled up my arms and I pulled her tighter to me, kissing the soft skin of her shoulder.

"Then I suggest you spend tomorrow packing, Aruba awaits." I grinned. It may have been a casual conversation between lovers, but it meant so much more, it was the _yes_ that I'd been too afraid to ask for. She was coming with me, and once I had her, I wouldn't be letting her go, _that_ I was certain of. She turned to face me, placing a slow and gentle kiss on my lips.

"Thank you." She whispered. The sincerity in her eyes was so pure that I couldn't look away. My stomach knotted in lack of response. I felt like I should be the one thanking her, she was the one who was giving me direction. She was making me _happy._ An emotion so far gone for so long that I hardly remembered what it felt like in the first place. In the midst of all the utter shit we were dealing with, somehow we made each other feel _good_ and that was more than I could ask anyone for. I could only imagine being able to enjoy her presence every morning without the unbearable stress of losing her lurking around every corner.

In that moment I felt like I could say it. I felt like somehow maybe I could say the three little words I knew she wanted to hear from me, and I could somehow do right by her. Then and there I knew that when I said those words they would be so undeniably true. I opened my mouth, but she swallowed my sentence in a kiss that could have made me forget my own name. I met her passion with a fire of my own, tangling my fingers in her hair and getting lost in the sweet sensations she was sending through my body.

I would tell her in Aruba. When the case was closed and there was no death eater waiting to take her from me, I would tell her. It would mean more to her then anyways, when she knew that I meant it, and that I wasn't just saying it out of fear. Right now I wasn't scared. I was confident that things would go my way tomorrow, and then tomorrow night I could begin my life with the woman that I _love_.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

"She told us everything, I'm sure of it." I assured her again, bowing my head, waiting for her to speak.

"And you're sure it's Draco?" She screeched, hardly keeping her voice even enough to understand. She was livid, as was I, but I'd kept a straight face when the mudblood revealed that it was Draco Malfoy who had been selling us out from the beginning. We shouldn't have been surprised; he was a blood traitor just like his pathetic father.

"Positive." I confirmed. I stole a glance up at her. She seemed thoughtful; she was scheming no doubt, making this work in our favor.

"This is rich." She cackled, a wicked grin spreading across her features. "Change of plans boys, tomorrow you bring mudblood Granger _here._" She laughed manically, but I couldn't hide my shock.

"But how?" My brother piped up and she shot a venomous glare in his direction.

"Simple." She sneered. "You use his house elves, just like before. We'll just make sure his little mudblood leaves him a note, saying she went for a visit to his _mummy's_." She cackled again, and I let out a chuckle not completely following her plan.

"Then what, do we wait for him?" I asked slowly.

"He'll come running, probably with Potter and his sidekick too, and then you kill them, all of them." She stated with finality. I nodded slowly once more, shuddering. I wasn't sure how that would get us the information she said we needed from Potter, but I wouldn't dare argue with her, not now. Unlike us, she had nothing more to lose.

* * *

><p><strong>an Hey guys! Hope you liked my filler and fluff haha! But the plot is thickening and the next two chapters will bring twists and turns to the storyline as well as some highly anticipated explanations, I hope you arent disappointed! There will be at least a few more chapters following the end of the case, I have a bit of plot/fluff to get out afterwards and possibly an epilogue. Thanks for reading! Thanks for all the lovely reviews! Almost 200! WOO :) Thanks so much, please review, it helps me write much faster. -Onalee **


	22. Poor Planning

I kept my mouth shut, like I was supposed to. I didn't voice my concerns. I didn't ask him to let me do my part by going to the graveyard. I fought every instinct in my body that told me I _needed_ to be on the field. Now he was gone, and I was losing my mind with anticipation of his return. He suggested that I pack. It lasted five minutes. I was trembling with worry, going over everything I knew about the case and their plan inconspicuously. I suddenly regretted not snooping for the details of their mission because all I could think about where the scenarios I had to blindly hope they were prepared for.

"Hermione, stop." He'd been watching me all morning, knowing that the gears in my mind were turning slowly but surely, the anticipation building up.

"What?" I asked innocently, going back to the laundry.

"You've washed every article of clothing you've ever owned twice over now. You need to relax." He wrapped his arms around my waist from behind and placed light feathery kisses on my shoulder. I shuddered in pleasure, but I couldn't enjoy myself, not until he came home tonight.

"I'm trying." I said shakily.

"You're making too much of this." He deadpanned. My anger quickly bubbled to the surface.

"How can you say that?" I snapped. "I'm not involved at all, and I don't plan to be, although every bone in my body says that you're making a huge mistake by not utilizing my skills. But I get it." I threw my hands in the air and stomped to the other side of the small room, exhausted. "I'm too invested, too rash. I get it. But don't you tell me that I am making too much of you putting your life on the line tonight!" I shouted in his general direction, failing to control the flush on my cheeks. He hesitated a moment, then I felt his arms around me and I buried my face in his chest uselessly. This was so unlike me that I could hardly stand it.

"Maybe you should go to Ginny's for the night, get your mind somewhere else." He suggested softly. I shook my head against him.

"Her hormones are much worse than mine, she'll be hyperventilating until Harry walks through the door." I sighed. I knew I should probably keep her company for her own sake, but I had a feeling that I might be better off with the imagined company of my parents. Abruptly he pulled away and laced my hand in his.

"Come here." He said, leading us into the study. He let go of my hand as we entered and summoned three large and unfamiliar books into his hands. My insides fluttered a little in excitement.

"I was saving these for later, but I got you some books about where we're going." He said, letting the books slide into my arms. They were all about Aruba.

"I want to go _everywhere_." He said enthusiastically. His eyes lit up in a way that I was almost unfamiliar with, it made my heart beat speed up in the slightest. It was impossible not to be affected by him.

"I decided to make our itinerary a surprise. I'll give you the books to our next destination when we leave the last one. Sometimes we'll have to travel the muggle way so I'm sure it'll kill time and—

I silenced him with a fiery kiss, unable to contain my enthusiasm for him. Nobody had ever really understood me the way that he so clearly did. He smirked against my mouth, clearly smug with himself.

"I can't _wait_ for you to see my personal library at the manor someday. If this is how you thank me for these, I can't even imagine what I'll get after the grand tour." He sniggered. I didn't even have the energy to scoff, I was too thrilled. So I calmed myself down and I read.

But he was gone now, and I'd read these books over almost twice already and I could barely digest the words, my anxiety had reached record levels.

"How could I let this happen?" I groaned, closing the last book I was working on in defeat. I walked back into study, finding my parents sitting on the sofa together, smiling at me. I let out a small sigh of relief when I saw them and after setting my wand on the desk I made my way over to sit across from them, I needed to vent, now was more than a perfect opportunity. I jumped right into what I was feeling, not caring if the story was easy to follow or not, they were a part of my psyche anyways. I needed to vent.

"I mean if I had just sat down with him and gone through the mission step by step, I could point out the flaws and make sure everything went perfectly, I wouldn't even have to be on the field, but if I just could have—

It was a miniscule movement, but it was enough to send goosebumps up my spine. My mum reached towards her pocket. In that moment I realized my mind might not have made up what I just saw. I ducked, but she was too quick, hitting me with a solid stunning spell to the chest, paralyzing me. Horror washed through me as the explanations flipped through my mind, but there were too many. How much of this had been in my mind and how long had I been giving away the case's most intimate secrets, and to _who_?

"Well, well, well it looks like we've finally managed to get mudblood Granger to shut her mouth." Sniggered the person posing as my father. My heart palpitated loudly, struggling to keep up with the situation. I brainstormed but nothing came, I was trapped.

"It's about time." My mother's imposter added. "If I had to listen to her praising my blood-traitor disgrace of a nephew for one more moment I would avada myself."

Another round of shock hit me like a wall. It was the Lestranges. They killed my parents and then posed as their ghosts. I felt so stupid. I couldn't believe that I hadn't told Draco about this and I couldn't believe that I hadn't had half the sense to put it together myself. People don't just sit down with their dead parents and think nothing of it. I was so angry with myself, but it didn't even begin to rival how _afraid _I was in this moment. Draco was far, far away and he wouldn't come back home for hours, not until the two people who were about to take me captive showed up. And they never would, because of me. Because of me, they knew _everything_.

"Let's not make the mistake of letting her get away again. Your precious _wife_ probably wouldn't like that, now would she?"

"Shut it Rabastan." Rodolphus sneered. My heart stopped. They were talking about Bellatrix. Bellatrix who was _dead. _Molly killed her. There were witnesses, tons of them. Bellatrix was dead. I saw her corpse. She had to be dead. I tried to reason with myself over their bickering, but the terror was too overwhelming. The thought of an alive and well Bellatrix Lestrange was not something that I'd imagined, nor anything that the aurors would be prepared for. _Draco_ would not be prepared. I was definitely not prepared. I couldn't believe that I had set down my wand. I thought I'd been safe here. In fact I didn't understand how they could have possibly infiltrated my wards. A new kind of fear took me over as I saw them writing Draco a note.

"We can't have your precious boyfriend wondering where you've gone now can we?" Rabastan taunted. I thought as desperately as I could, these two had proven themselves time and time again to be blubbering idiots who underestimated their opponents constantly, but without a wand and currently no voice, they had all the power. If they allowed the body-bind to wear off I could scream for Daisy to get a message to Draco, it was the best hope I had right now.

"Let's go." Rodolphus grimaced, grabbing my arm gruffly. Panic began to set in again as I realized I wouldn't even get a chance to scream. "GIMPY!" He bellowed, making my ears split with the sound. A small house-elf hobbled into the room and cowered at Rabastan's feet.

"Take us to Malfoy Manor." He grinned widely. The house elf shook with terror as she grabbed onto both of the death eaters and with a loud crack, I felt the apparition happening. If I could move I would be shaking. They weren't quite as stupid as they looked, I hadn't accounted for other house elves that technically worked for Draco. Any house elf who he owned would be able to apparate to any of his homes, and this was his current one. I imagined that Gimpy might be a little like Kreacher in his dedication to his dead pure blooded old masters.

My last visit to the manor had been in the war, and on similar terms. I couldn't believe that all this time the death eaters had been regularly visiting the manor under our noses, with Draco's house elves, it was such a vulnerable place to be after the ministry raided it. I thought that no death eater would be stupid to return to the scene of a majority of their crimes. All I could do was pray that Draco had moved his mother to his personal flat I suggested after my parent's attack.

I was thrown down upon arrival and my head connected floor with such force that I was sure my skull had been cracked in half. I felt no blood so I glanced up and to my horror all six of the death eaters were there, none of them had even entertained the idea of going to the graveyard, and it was all my fault. I shuddered, knowing that Draco would never fall for the note that Rabastan left but it wouldn't matter because he would come running all the same. This was exactly what they wanted after all, all the death eaters in one place with their leader.

"Now what? Do we wait?" I heard one of the death eaters mumble. This was clearly less organized than I'd first thought. I tried not to let on that I was coming to, keeping my breathing even.

"Yes, and do have a little fun for me while you wait for dearest Draco." The voice pierced my eardrums and had there be any doubt of whom was speaking, her trademark cackle confirmed it. Bellatrix was _alive. _My breath became ragged and my body was convulsing, I couldn't stop myself. Any resolution of being saved or even coming out alive from this experience shattered inside me. Nobody survived Bellatrix's torture, not twice.

"Look at her, she hears Bella's voice and she absolutely crumbles." Spat one of the Carrows. "She's absolutely pathetic." He crouched down to me and gave me a stomach turning smile.

"I hear it hurts worse at close range." He whispered, placing his wand an inch from my chest. "_Crucio_." My entire body ignited with fire and although I was still, it felt like my limbs were being twisted into ungodly positions. The spell allowed me a whimper and my tormentor smiled smugly, apparently pleased with his work.

"How?" My hoarse voice managed to break through. I couldn't believe it, I couldn't understand. Perhaps the pain and shock was affecting my thought process, but it was impossible for her to be alive, and yet she was. I glanced around desperately for Bellatrix, but she wasn't to be seen. I let out a small breath of relief, but my heart rate only sped up, she was _playing_ with me.

"How dare you speak to us you filthy mudblood!" Shouted Rodolphus, delivering a bone crunching blow to the left side of my ribcage. I cried out in agony, squeezing my eyes shut.

"Kill her." Bellatrix delivered her order with conviction and I didn't know whether to be relieved or panicked. The torture would be unendurable, but I wasn't ready to die, not without a fight. To my luck he hesitated. Rodolphus faltered, looking around the corner to where I assumed she stood, right out of my eyesight.

"Now? But…shouldn't we wait? We should wait for Potter. If she's not alive he won't tell us where the final horcrux is." My mind was spinning, and I felt blood trickling down the side of my face. Rabastan hauled me up from the floor, making me howl in agony. He held me in front of him, his hand locked at my throat. It was uncomfortable, but not unbearable, he wasn't trying to strangle me. His statement had me reeling, there was so much more than revenge going on here. Bellatrix was lying to him. The horcruxes were gone, and even if they weren't the last person who would let a horcrux knowingly exist would be Harry. I kept silent, letting their confusion be the death of all of them.

"Are you questioning me?" Bellatrix all be screeched, sending chills up my body. The room was silent for a moment, until she spoke again. "Do as I say, kill the girl or the dark lord will not be happy with you when he returns." She all but hissed. I could have let out a dry laugh had I not been in so much pain. Nothing was adding up here. There were no more horcruxes, Voldemort was dead. Harry's scar had never pained him again, there was absolutely no way there could be another horcrux, and no way Bellatrix could be alive.

Unless Bellatrix had a horcrux.

My blood ran cold at the thought, but it still didn't make sense. Voldemort hadn't even told Bellatrix of his horcruxes, let alone help her make one. Voldemort was dead, and he would certainly stay that way.

"Bella, you have nothing to left to lose." Rodolphus responded, losing his temper. "Whether or not the dark lord returns is on my shoulders, you've said so yourself. If the girl dies now Potter won't tell us where it is." He hissed. I tried to follow their increasingly hushed and confusing conversation but Rabastan tightened his grip of me and I could barely focus on breathing. The fog in my mind was threatening to take me under, but I held on.

The familiar sound of cracking green embers filled the room, and everyone fell silent. I could hear my own heart beating, begging that anyone would walk in except Draco, just not Draco.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

"Why would she leave?" I bit out angrily, "All she had to do was sit here. It was the only thing I asked her to do." I lashed out angrily.

"Why wouldn't she at least show up where we were?" Potter asked in a defeated voice. The mission hadn't gone as planned, in fact it didn't happen at all. The death eaters never came, none of the places they could have been. They were just _gone. _It had been devastating. I promised myself that by this time today it would all be over. There would be no more pain, no more running. And now I came home to find that not even Granger had stayed where she was supposed to be. My anger was reaching a record high.

"What the fuck is this doing here." I spoke, but I could barely register my own words as I picked up her wand from the desk and stared down at it. She wouldn't have left without her wand. She barely walked from room to room in the privacy of the flat without her wand. There was no way she could be gone. Panic set in as I put two and two together, wherever Granger was, she was without a wand, possibly alone and every last death eater alive was looking for her.

"What is it?" Potter asked. Horror struck through me and I could barely respond. I held it up and his eyes widened in understanding. She didn't leave, they _took _her. I was going to be sick. The only reason I allowed myself to leave tonight was because I knew I was ending it and that she would be safe. I refused her help for weeks to keep her protected and in the end it didn't matter, they had her. I'd taken it like a physical blow, the aching in my hollow chest was unendurable. I frantically searched for any indication of a struggle, praying she held her own even without a wand.

"They left a note." Potter bit out thrusting the small crinkled parchment in my direction. I barely read it before letting out a growl of frustration and following him into the floo. The thought of Hermione being tortured under my roof _again_ was nothing less than another one of my sick uncle's mind games. I prayed silently that she hadn't been gone too long, that not too much damage had been done. The only note of relief I felt was that I'd moved my mother out of that house when Hermione's parents had been attacked. Half of the people I loved were safe. But the other half was in danger, and it was my fault _again._

Upon landing in my fireplace and stumbling into the foyer I knew we would be outnumbered. They wanted us to come running, and whether we had figured out it was a trap or not we would have run, because they had _Hermione._ I surveyed the room around me, my heart racing as I locked my eyes with the only thing in the world that mattered right now.

I faltered, her _mum_ was the one who had Hermione in a headlock, a wand pointed at her temple. Realization dawned on me, nearly incapacitating me. It didn't explain _anything_ but somehow they'd tricked Hermione out of her flat. My teeth clenched in anger. A rage so intense washed over me that I would have killed him. If Hermione wasn't blocking him, I would have killed him on the spot for even laying one of his filthy fingers on her. Impersonating her parents was sadistic, even for the pair of them, which only struck fear to my core; it wouldn't have been their idea, which meant their leader must be here.

"Take one step and I'll avada her." Rabastan said clearly, his features bubbling back to normal as the effects of polyjuice began to wear off. In any other circumstance I would have called his bluff, but I feared that he'd gotten what he wanted, or at least two thirds of it. He wanted to golden trio, to torture and kill. I was petrified that he would kill her without thinking twice now that Potter was here, and I couldn't let that happen.

"Drop her." Potter bit out, barely keeping his voice even. I knew we were playing a waiting game, the aurors would be here any second, and it would be over, but every moment was vital.

"What are you waiting for kill her! Kill them!" My blood ran cold when Bellatrix's voice echoed through the room and out of the corner of my eye I saw Potter's grip on his wand slacken. Bellatrix was dead. Cold, and in the ground, there wasn't a doubt in my mind that she was lifeless, and yet her voice, so distinct, was throwing out orders. It made sense that they would follow her, and she was maniacal enough to want revenge. If she wasn't dead we would have suspected her right off the bat, but she _was_ dead.

"We can't bring him back without them. We need them!" Shouted Rodophus to the corner of the room. I angled my body slightly to catch a glimpse of whomever was impersonating the voice of my late aunt, but I only saw emptiness. Harry threw me an apprehensive glance, probably confused about the delay of arrival in his aurors.

"We closed off the floo. And these wards are excellent, you saw to that, didn't you Drakie?" Taunted one of the Carrows. I frantically tried to simulate an attack I could launch to put us on an even playing field, but with Granger as hostage, there was nothing. We were trapped. Potter and I could probably take on all five of them if Hermione's life didn't hang in the balance, it was a risk neither one of us were willing to take. We had to negotiate.

"What do you want?" I spat, unwilling to participate in their mind games. Rabastan grinned, tightening his grip on Hermione. I twitched, it took everything I had to not react to the pain that flashed across her features.

"We know you know where the horcrux is Potter, tell us and we'll show you and your mudblooded bitch some mercy." Rodolphus sneered. I glanced to Potter, but the confusion I was feeling was painted just as evidently on his face. There was no other horcrux, there couldn't be. Hermione and Potter had seen to it themselves that no other horcruxes remained. Besides, the in depth investigations done on nearly every aspect of the final battle never hinted at anything of the sort. The Dark Lord was long dead, and he would stay that way.

"You _fools_!" Bellatrix's voice seethed. "Kill the two of them and torture it out of our blood traitor nephew! He deserves to suffer, these two just need to be dead." She spat out, but something about the way she was speaking so desperately was out of character for her. My mind was racing trying to piece everything together.

"Crucio!" Shouted a Rabastan in confusion, clearly not apt to denying orders from his sister-in-law. Hermione wailed and trashed against his hold. My patience snapped, and I was willing to do whatever it took to get her out of the situation.

"That's unnecessary. Let her go and I'll tell you what you need to know." I took a step towards my former uncle, my voice low and even.

"Draco what are you—

"_Silencio._" I murmered with little conviction. I didn't dare look at Hermione as I silenced her, I knew that only fear and betrayal would be present on her features. I didn't know what the hell these death eaters were misled to believe, but if I could get Granger out of here I would do it, no matter the cost. They were too confused to call my bluff, their plan was crumbling quickly, but it didn't give us enough of an advantage to attack.

"He's _lying!_" Shouted Bellatrix, I could hear her rage building in intensity. "Kill the mudblood, you have them where you want them it won't make a difference!" The confusion among the death eaters was becoming clear and I realized instantly that Bellatrix's threats were empty and they knew it. If she were able to she would have already killed half of them and made the other half beg for mercy. I watched carefully as Rabastan and Rodolphus exchanged a look, distracting the other death eaters. I met Hermione's eyes and released her from her silence, making the smallest movement to show her that her wand was tucked in my pocket. If we could get her on our side we could hold off the death eaters until the aurors broke through the wards, especially if I could keep confusing them like this. Potter picked up on our exchange and readied himself for attack.

"I don't know what you've been told, but Bellatrix is dead, and whoever that is, doesn't know anything. Why would I let a horcrux continue to exist if I knew about it?" Potter stated boldly. I should have known he would resort to damning them with the truth, it was so _Gryffindor _of him. Luckily it did the trick and all the death eaters looked dumbfounded. I took full advantage this time as the signs of their distraction and their panic came to forefront. In a single movement, I stunned Rabastan, and tossed Hermione her wand. In an instant, hell broke loose. Bellatrix screeched and screamed insults at all parties, clearly unable to fight herself, which gave me a small relief. Curses and hexes were flying, killing curses shot around the room, giving it a green glow that I remembered it having during the war. I suppressed a shudder, continuing to dodge and incapacitate the remaining death eaters.

Only a moment had gone by when we became matched in numbers. Rodolphus attempted apparition stupidly as a last resort, and I caught him in a body bind. I glanced to Hermione who had also detained her opponent as well as Potter. I tossed a few extra body binds around the room, just to be sure before I reached for Hermione, touching any part of her that I could, praying she wasn't permanently damaged. The crimson wound on her hairline would need to be healed immediately, but had at least clotted for the time being.

"Are you alright?" I managed to ask through clenched teeth as I eyed Hermione, convinced that she was out of any immediate danger. She nodded vigorously, but I made note to check her more thoroughly later.

"Foolish, idiotic useless—

Bellatrix screamed on and Potter tore around the corner, Hermione and I on his heels. There was nobody there. The corner was empty, in fact if Bellatrix had become silent, we wouldn't have noticed her at all. There, on the wall, sat Bellatrix in her frame, her crazed eyes dark with anger. I knew that I should have burned her portrait years ago. We all stared at it for a moment, unwilling to believe that _this _was what we spent so long trying to take down. I was dumbfounded. Rabastan and Rodolphus had actually been stupid enough to take orders from a _canvas?_ I wanted to laugh, in fact I almost did. Potter flicked a quick silencing spell her way and turned to me, his eyes were as vacant as mine. This was not what anyone had expected. Even after death my insane aunt had found a way to infiltrate all of our lives.

"We've been fighting a fucking painting." Potter deadpanned.

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><p>.<p>

**a/n So that was a lot of information, I hope it wasn't too anti-climactic for all of you. Also, don't fret all the gaps of information and hopefully all of your questions and disputes will be answered in the next chapter. **

**Speaking of more chapters, I know there will be at least 3 more. Possibly an epilogue as well. If you'd like to see an epilogue, voice your thoughts :) I expect this story to come to a close soon, I've enjoyed writing it very much and will write another. Before I finish this one I'll have a chapter up of whatever project I begin next. It might be something more cliché, like a marriage law fic, but I'd like to make it interesting and believable. Again, thoughts are appreciated. Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews, I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this chapter! –Onalee **


	23. Tension

We were fighting. It was ridiculous because the danger was gone, the threat had been eliminated, but we were both still scared shitless, but for other reasons entirely.

"Will you please _sit down_." Draco insisted, barely containing his festering rage.

"Draco for the last time I am _fine_." I urged, shoving my packed suitcase off the bed to sit. I winced at the pressure in my ribcage and pointed my wand at it, trying to heal myself.

"Are you insane?" He spat, swatting my wand out of the way. "You almost _died_ tonight Hermione, the least you can do is let someone heal you properly." He rolled his eyes, but the playful tone was barely there, he was fuming. I felt relieved as the ribs mended themselves under Draco's wand, but it wasn't doing anything for his temper.

"They're _broken._" He gaped, staring at me with wide eyes. He snatched up the hem of my shirt to reveal the black and purple bruises where I was kicked. "How did you manage to duel?" He asked, but I didn't answer, I had a feeling it was rhetorical anyway. I pulled my shirt down quickly when he finished healing.

"I can do it Draco, if you insist on healing someone at least get yourself first." I sighed, but it came out more bitterly than I'd intended.

"I'm unscathed, in case you've forgotten." He spat. His venom was misplaced but not without warrant. He blamed himself for my kidnap and I blamed myself for setting up the trap unknowingly that he and Harry walked right into. Although it was over, the damage had been done. It was so much to absorb that I couldn't help but feel exhausted and like I was overlooking some obvious problem we would have with closing the case. It was overwhelming and I couldn't deal with Draco blaming himself for what was obviously my fault on top of everything else.

After finding out that the so-called leader of the death eaters we'd been fearing for years was a nothing more than a rather despicable painting, we'd all been dumbfounded, but more than that, humiliated. We'd spent months making lists and doing investigations, we'd spent money and time and resources chasing after a pack of misinformed out of practice death eaters that were following the every move of a stupid portrait.

After half the ministry arrived on the scene and completed their investigations, destroyed the portrait and interrogated the death eaters we were still reeling in our humiliation. No matter how many ministry officials congratulated us, I couldn't help but feel so _stupid _for falling for the trap the death eaters had set for me. They manipulated me and I'd allowed it to happen. Draco tried to comfort me, but it didn't take a genius to see that his anger was getting the best of him as well. He was mad that he "let" the death eaters get the best of him. He was angry because he didn't see it coming and was therefore unprepared. Hindsight is twenty-twenty after all.

We were exasperated enough already when we found out that we were both required to attend the death eater's trials and testify against them. With the abundance of evidence on them I never thought it would be necessary, but it was the way Kingsley wanted things so we had to comply. After the trials he would exonerate Draco in the press and we could finally get to Aruba, but that felt like it was such a long time away from now.

It was stressful to think that we would be in town for the reveal of Draco Malfoy. The press would not only highlight that Draco and I were dating, but that he'd been working under an alias and was reformed as a free member of wizarding society. I knew he wasn't nervous about his reveal, but that didn't make him want to stick around for it either. There were only a handful of death eaters who went through the reformation program and had graduated and the news of their freedom was not as well received as Kingsley would have liked it to be. With Draco, being in Voldemort's inner circle and Lucius' son, no matter what light the press painted him in, some people wouldn't receive him well. Disappearing for a while was what we needed, and it was exactly what we would do the moment Kingsley closed the case for good. But until then, we were here, with so many things unexplained, too much information to take in and feeling like we'd both lost so much, except each other.

"I thought it was my imagination Draco…I can't begin to even explain how sorry I am." Tears welled up in my eyes and I stood up, rubbing my face in my hands and wincing at the pain there.

"What are you talking about Granger?" He said. The bite in his voice was still audible, but less convicted. I didn't want to look at him, I couldn't, not while I knew that all of this was my fault. I'd been stupid enough to believe that I was special, and that maybe I could keep my parents in some unexplainable way. But just like he said I would be, I was manipulated.

"I thought I'd been imagining them, my parents. I'd been talking to them for weeks, confiding in them. I told them _everything_." I shook my head in my hands, letting out a dry sob. It was like the loss was taking me over again, it was the ultimate betrayal, losing my parents in another way. It sickened me that I could think for one second that someone as vile as Rabastan could pass for my mother without me even _questioning_ it.

"Hermione, stop." He said forcefully at first, but I refused to look at him. I heard him sigh, and felt him take my face in his hands.

"You tried to tell me and I didn't listen. It's not your fault. They are sick and evil and will be rotting in Azkaban for the rest of their lives for what they did to you, I'll see to that Granger." He said with a faint threat in his voice. I clutched onto him, too tired to argue, it was selfish, but whether or not the blame was mine, I was glad he didn't find me guilty. He was all I had now, and if he turned his back on me I didn't know what I would do.

"I should have put you on the mission. You would have been in far less danger if I had kept you by my side." He sighed into my hair, losing his anger as he clutched onto me tightly.

"At least it's over." I whispered hoarsely, but nothing about this felt _over_. It just felt sad and confusing and painful. It didn't feel like a victory, not at all.

"Almost." He replied, taking my hand and leading me into bed with him. "Let's sleep, we can talk tomorrow." He said, nearly stumbling on his words. I nodded and crawled under the covers next to him. I had so many words. I wanted to explain so many things to him, but somewhere in my mind I knew that he knew the only things that mattered. I let that fact comfort me as I listened to his sound breathing, hoping it would help me get to sleep. "I just need you next to me." He said in such a soft whisper that I wasn't entirely sure I'd heard him. "I…Hermione I…" He swallowed thickly and I settled my head over his erratic heartbeat. "I just need you." He whispered faintly, and I smiled. Everything was confusing right now, but Draco needed me and I needed him. As long as those two things were crystal clear, I would be just fine.

We both lay awake the next morning for hours, wrapped in one another's embrace. I didn't want to leave the safety of this bed, where we could envelope each other in a comfortable silence, one that I'd only managed to ever have with Draco. Once we got up the weight of the wizarding world would once again fall upon our shoulders and I would have to heave it around for another few days. Here in this bed with Draco, it was only the two of us, comfortable and even happy. I knew what was coming when he placed a chaste his to my forehead and wriggled from beneath my grip, but I held on tightly.

"Don't." I mumbled. He sighed, but smiled at me, unfastening my hands from his waist.

"I need to shower. But trust me, the moment that they close this case, we will climb into a bed somewhere far, far away and you will have to beg me to leave your side." He smirked and I blushed slightly, but grinned at the prospect of an interruption free life, one where I wasn't so focused on work, perhaps one where I looked into more enjoyable employment options. I'd spent over five years working for the ministry and becoming a healer and I was miserable. It didn't even seem like an option to give up the job I'd worked so hard for, but I'd suffered more casualties on this case and even before that than I could handle. I didn't even get satisfaction from a job well done anymore, and if I wasn't getting the elation from my work, then what the hell was I still doing?

I ignored the fast track of my mind and tried to stay in the present as I prepared for the day. It would be grueling to present the same case with minor differences against each death eater, that I'd dueled less than 24 hours ago, in front of the wizengamont but it was what had to be done. I sighed and pulled my hair back when Draco stepped out of the bathroom, his hair wet and tousled in a way that I hadn't ever seen, but one that was extremely attractive. I grinned in spite of myself, I was still exhausted, but I didn't care, I had Draco and we were so close to the freedom he'd been working so hard for.

"Ready to finish this thing?" I said with a small smile.

"I've never been more ready for anything in my life."

.

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><p>.<p>

"Jeeze Gin, I know you're pregnant and everything but save some potatoes for me!" Ron Weasley demanded of his younger sister who sat across from him, next to Hermione and I. If looks could kill the one that the Ginger Potter just shot would have made the family one redhead smaller.

"Sorry Ron, I forgot that you've _always _eaten enough for two." She spat. I almost smirked. If Ginerva wasn't so irritating I might actually be able to stand her, or at least respect her sarcastic quick wit.

"So what's this about a trip I hear?" Mrs. Weasley hemmed in Hermione's direction. She grasped my hand under the table and glanced up at me, but I wouldn't help her out on this one, she was going to have to tell her extended family that we were vacationing all by herself.

The wizegamot had been hell, but that was to be expected. The four hours we spent previous to this meal all led up to one simple sentence that was music to my ears.

"_Guilty of all charges_." The words rang out through the wizengamot, and my chest swelled with pride. The evidence against both of the Carrows was so concrete that it took just that long to list their many heinous crimes in detail. My elation was quickly replaced with concern as I looked to Granger for about the hundredth time in the last five minutes. Her face was hard and unreadable, it was how she kept up appearances professionally and I was sure that she wanted to prove to the Carrows that they didn't _break _her. She'd testified to their most recent crimes involving her torture, which made me regret not killing the both of them on the spot.

Her face didn't betray any emotion as we left the courtroom hand in hand, but her movements were stiff with exhaustion. I wrapped an arm around her waist and she allowed herself to slump against me a little. I let out a short breath, counting the hours until we would be out of here and could forget about this. Unfortunately that was when Potter cornered us about having dinner at the Burrow.

"Hermione, Evans." Potter approached us just outside of the courtroom. I nodded curtly, desperate to get out of the ministry before I was asked any questions. If I had to talk about the death eaters for one more moment I was sure I would hex someone.

"We're all going to be at the Burrow tonight for dinner, a celebration of sorts." He began. I tensed, but kept my silence. The last thing I wanted to do was spend the evening with a few dozen gingers who would prefer that I drop off the face of the earth, but I kept my silence, soon I would be taking Granger far, far away and if she wanted just one more big obnoxious meal with her freckled parasites, I would withstand it for her.

"I'm not sure if you'll still be going abroad soon, I just thought it would be nice to have the whole family together." Potters eyes flashed quickly to mine, and held something other than disdain. If this was his version of acceptance of our relationship it was almost petty, but I would extend an olive branch just the same, for Granger.

"That sounds lovely, Harry." Hermione sighed, snuggling closer to my side. I smirked at Potters discomfort, it was well worth a night at the burrow if I got to make him squirm like that. After all the hell he put both of us through in training he deserved to be a little on edge.

"I'll see you both later then." He said, giving Hermione an awkward pat on the arm.  
>And so that was how we ended up once again in a room full of blabbermouth ginger witches and wizards who could not be more elated that the case was almost closed. It was such a contrast to the afternoon that I'd shared with Hermione that it was almost bewildering.<p>

That afternoon we didn't talk much, we didn't need to. She spent her time leaned against me, reading the books I bought her, although I knew she'd read them several times over by now. I read as well, but took note of the slight change of her features as she absorbed the words. The way her eyes lit up at new information was so comically endearing. We were both tense, but not as we had been last night. I still felt like we were in a false sense of security and neither of us would be able to sleep well until we knew for a fact that the last of the death eaters were locked in cells for the rest of their pathetic lives and the case was officially closed.

The first time I'd set foot into the infamous Weasley home I'd been tense with irritation and every mannerism of every Weasley made me want to hex the laughter off all of their faces. While it still wasn't _pleasant_ to share a room with any of the hyperactive gingers, it wasn't nearly as unnerving. Watching the way Hermione's smile reached her eyes at something utterly _stupid_ George said, or seeing how Molly gripped Granger in a vice hug when we'd come in the door had me thinking a little more openly about the people that she loved so unconditionally.

I would probably never feel at ease with these people, but there was something about the way that their children ran around laughing and the way that the kids bickered with their fathers in a way that didn't exude hatred that allowed me to develop a tolerance and even a small fondness for the family I insulted on a daily basis my entire life. I shuddered at the thought of actually forging a bond here, and almost let out a dry laugh at the idea.

It was only when Hermione's sodding ex pulled her to the side later that I remembered why I detested these people so much. But I kept my distance, resolving only to intervene if he touched her. After the few months of hell that Hermione had endured I didn't like the keep my eyes off of her, let alone put her in situations that were bound to end in emotional turmoil. It took all my restraint to pretend to be interested in whatever Bill was going on about while the Weasel chatted up my girlfriend.

"He told me to have fun in Aruba with you." She said later in her flat as she stripped off her clothes, a small smile gracing her features. I could have stared at her in that moment for the rest of my life. It had been so long since she'd smiled like that and _meant _it. I could feel the small festering of her happiness and it was brilliant.

"Really." I drawled, feeling almost uninterested with what the Weasel said to her. Over the last week his words had often gone off in my mind, but I'd come to the singular conclusion that it was the best thing for us if Ron waited for me to screw up. Granger was _mine_ and Malfoy's do not share or give away the things we love. If he wanted to wait he would wait the rest of his pathetic life because there was no way I would let her go, not under any circumstance.

"I think he might have meant it." She resolved quietly. I leaned back against the doorframe, crossing my arms over my chest with ease. I hated to admit it, but tonight had helped with the tension. The relief that the Weasleys wore so obviously was a little contagious. Granger being relieved though, that did wonders for me. Even her posture had stopped looking so devastating. It gave me a little hope that we could be happy together, and we would be, soon.

"Good." I replied. "Although I'm a bit disappointed he didn't try to duel me for your honor or something of the sort. I would have loved to get out the last of my aggression on him." I shrugged. She let out a laugh and tangled herself in my arms.

"I cannot wait to just relax with you and talk about nothing and argue about ridiculously small facts and just sleep." She sighed.

"Well, you probably won't be getting much sleep." I grinned just before connecting our lips in a kiss that made it impossible to stay so tense.

**a/n Hey guys, I'm working pretty quickly now because I am really excited to get this story finished. I hope that this chapter was alright, I cranked it out pretty fast so forgive me if it wasn't the best. The next chapter will be the last, and will probably be a bit longer. I've also decided to write an epilogue in 3 (relatively small) parts. :) I look forward to hearing your thoughts, thank you so much for all the reviews and favorites and alerts! -Onalee **


	24. Case Closed

"Granger, just relax, alright." Draco chided me once again, but I didn't want to listen, Kingsley had officially deemed the case closed, and the prophet would be highlighting Draco in just a few short hours. Although he closed the case he seemed to prolong our stay by insisting that we attend the huge ministry party tonight congratulating our successes. We both declined the invite at first, but after the minister spent an hour convincing us the wonders if would do for Draco's reputation before we left, we had no choice.

"I could honestly care less about what a bunch of ministry socialites think of me." He had grumbled earlier this morning as we entered the courtroom for the final hearing.

"It's only another day, and we'll leave directly from the party, this way we leave the public on a good note, maybe they'll be less inclined to have the press follow us after you make the appearance at the party." I shrugged, but I was struggling to stay calm. Today would be the most difficult case of all to face. Though Rabastan and Rodolphus would be sentenced to the heaviest extent of the law, I still had to testify against them, which mean I would be extracting private memories right in front of the wizegamot for the world to see.

I didn't like the idea, and Draco hated it. He protested Harry and Kinglsey about it for an hour, but in the end they concluded that unless I extracted the memories of me talking to them while they were impersonating my parents the wizegamot would likely be unable to close the case, waiting for more sufficient evidence on where the Lestranges received information about the mission.

It was almost six hours that we sat in the courtroom, listening to the endless slew of war crimes performed by the Lestranges and the viewing of my memories did not make it easier on anyone, especially not Draco. I watched him as he watched the memory take place. It was one thing to hear of something happening, but when he saw it I knew his anger had been taken to a new level. He blamed himself for not realizing what they were planning, and I blamed myself for believing that two death eaters were really my parents. We would never see eye to eye on those issues, but it was over now, and I was glad to put it behind us the moment we left the courtroom.

When we arrived in my flat after the case was closed I slept. There were a few hours until the party and I knew I should be packing but the extraction of my memories had left me exhausted with a huge migraine. The stress had been giving me regular headaches and this one was worse, it was enough to make me want to sleep away the afternoon, which I did.

"If you haven't noticed Draco, we're late and I'm not anywhere near ready!" I shot at Draco once I'd woken up. I'd overslept and the party was already underway.

"By five minutes, and what does it matter? We're the guests of honor, we're supposed to be late." He rolled his eyes. "Mother would have a small heart attack if she knew you planned on being on time to your own event." He mumbled. I laughed nervously, my head and heart pounding in unison.

Draco would be coming to the party as himself, and they would be releasing his name and accomplishments and granting him his graduation from the death eater reformation program. It was a huge moment and almost everyone I'd ever met would be there. It was nerve-wracking to say the least. Not to mention the fact that this would be the first time I would be meeting his mother properly. Of course I knew Narcissa Malfoy, I'd been present at her trial and of course had seen her on less pleasurable occasions. But meeting her as her beloved son's girlfriend was frightening. I knew that Narcissa was possibly the only thing in the world that Draco actually cared about and I could only hope that like him, her pureblooded ideals would be absolved.

"I still can't believe it's finally over." I almost giggled the words. As nervous as I was, I was also giddy with excitement over the prospect of leaving with Draco tonight. I felt like it would never happen, but we were packed and it was only a few hours away.

"Me neither. You're sure about this then, Aruba?" He asked quietly, slinking an arm around my waist. I grinned, looking at us in the mirror as I fasted one of my earrings on. I could get used to seeing us like this for a long, long time.

"I've never been more sure of anything." I sighed in something that felt a little like contentment.

"I'm going to hand in my resignation to Kingsley tonight." I said softly, biting my lip as I waited for his reaction. I'd been thinking about my job a lot, and more about the fact that it's taken over my life. The more I thought about it the more I decided that perhaps I needed a vacation from my awful work environment indefinitely. I would rejoin the work force eventually. I would find something that I was passionate about, or enjoyed. I didn't know what it was yet, but while I was lounging in Aruba and exploring through Greece, I figured I had some time to find what it was that I planned on doing.

"What brought that on?" He asked suddenly, trying to keep the calm in his voice, but he tensed behind me. I turned around and took his face in my hands.

"You made me realize how much time I have _wasted_ chasing a job that I thought would make me happy. I think it's time we _both_ were free." I said clearly. Confidence was exuding off of me, and though my headache and heartbeat begged otherwise, I was ready for tonight, I could handle it.

Hours later, in the midst of a full blown ministry party another high powered ministry official tried to make small talk with me, insinuating that Draco was not of good character. I scoffed right at her this time, deciding I was tired of keeping up with pleasantries.

"Hermione, I was shocked to hear of your resignation, and just when things were really taking off for you. I dare say this has anything to do with the company you choose to keep?" I rolled my eyes before answering her, my patience running thin.

"If you haven't noticed I am a very accomplished young war heroine, capable of making her own decisions. Including the company that I keep, thank you." I replied curtly before making a bee-line for the bathroom. My head was pounding so hard that I wished I'd taken some pain potion before I left the flat. All the events of the night were exhausting and I couldn't wait to finally get out of here.

Draco had been very politely received when Kingsley exonerated and congratulated him in front of the entire ministry of magic and the press. Speechlessness was a bit of an understatement for the very long moments that followed when he stepped out towards Kingsley. Quickly applause erupted through the crowd, although it was confusion and shock that fuelled their clapping, it was applause just the same, and they could take all the time in the world to digest the information about Draco while we were far, far away.

I took a deep breath in and out while I looked in the mirror, trying to put on a happy face for the rest of the evening, but I was tired.

"Hermione?" I spun around, readying myself for another ambush of questions but sighed in relief when I saw Ginny tentatively close the door behind her.

"Oh Ginny, thank Merlin!" I said, throwing my arms around her neck. Seeing a familiar and friendly face was just what I needed right now. Between awkwardly formal conversations I had with former co-workers to the deflection of personal questions from the press and the snide remarks about my relationship, Ginny was like a dream come true.

"Are you alright Hermione, you don't look well." She said, pulling back to observe me.

"I'm fine, it's just all these bloody people Gin, they're obnoxious." I leaned back against the sinks, pinching the bridge of my nose.

"Tell me about it. Harry comes to shit like this all the time." She rolled her eyes. "I know you're invited too, but I mean you have the right idea by not showing up. He tries to be polite but sometimes it is just too much." She snapped, clearly not happy with the way her night was going either. I nodded absently, trying to imagine what my life was going to be like in only a few short hours, with nothing to worry about except when to have breakfast.

"So, you're really going to leave?" She asked too casually, not making eye contact. I nodded.

"I really am." I said, almost as though it was really hitting me for the first time. Ginny nodded, looking ahead as she leaned next to me.

"We're going to miss you, you know." She said softly. I studied her quickly, it was very uncharacteristic for her to be as openly emotional as she was being now. Even in her pregnancy she was defensive and sarcastic.

"It's not like I'll be away forever Gin."

"No, I know." She played with the hem of her dress, looking down. "I mean Harry and all of them think your vacation will only be a few weeks at most. But I get the feeling that you're off to greener pastures for quite a while longer." She shrugged. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and ingested that information. It hadn't occurred to me that I should tell them how long I'd be gone, in fact I didn't know myself, but she was right, I wouldn't be back in a week.

"I need it. I've been so unhappy for so long and I'm tired of chasing a job that I'm never going love, for a man that will never love me." She was silent for a moment before she looked up at me. I was shocked to find that her eyes were red with tears.

"You'll have to come back, I don't care who you marry; James _will_ have an aunt Hermione." She pulled me into a hug and I felt like crying too. I didn't even have time to think about who and what I was leaving here but somehow it still felt right to go.

"I'll be back all the time." I promised.

"He's good for you." She said quickly before pulling away. "That's the only reason I'm allowing for this trip of yours." She teased. I grinned at the young woman I'd grown up with, the closest thing I had to a sister. Everything was going to work out. I could feel it.

"Are you sure you're alright, you're ghastly." She chuckled, pulling back from me. I nodded, my head hurt, but it was all the new information of the night.

"I'm fine, it's just suffocating in there. Thank Merlin it's almost over." I rolled my eyes. She took my hand in hers.

"Let's finish this then so we can both get out of there before hexes are thrown at these ignorant people." She laughed and we walked back into the room full of people.

"Goodbye Hermione." Ginny squeezed my hand and threw me a smile before she waddled off to find her husband. I smiled fondly after her, knowing that no matter where I went I would have a family here.

"Ah Miss Granger, how excellent, I was hoping to see you in person this evening." I looked past one of the younger faces from the daily prophet, trying to locate Draco, whom I'd lost probably five minutes ago.

"Oh, yes hello." I managed, sidestepping to brush past the amateur reporter.

"I have a few questions about your new relationship with Draco Malfoy if you don't mind." He insisted, blocking my attempt to get around him. Unwilling to participate with these surveys any longer I spun around and the whole room spun with me. I stopped short, the dizziness freezing me in my stance. My head was pounding, I really needed to get back to that flat for some of that potion, the exhaustion was catching up with me. I was ready to leave.

I did another scan of the immediate area to locate Draco, and when I saw his blonde head across the room I took a few shaky steps in his direction. I mean to move quickly, but the room continued to spin. I faltered, trying to regain my balance, but the edges of my vision were fuzzy with blackness. I looked around desperately once more, and finally locked eyes with my favorite grey ones before everything went black.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

"Mr. Malfoy please calm down, we're doing what we can right now, the healers need a little time." This was the third time a bloody healer had told me to _calm down _and the little patience I had was not reserved for them. I ran my fingers through my hair again, pacing the small waiting room in St. Mugo's outside of Hermione's ward. The night had been mortifying at best. The press was persistent with me, but even more so with Granger, which was something I resented. Had I known it would be this bad I would have just asked her to stay home, or better yet we could have both skipped to whole thing and headed straight to Aruba, but that wouldn't matter much now anyway.

After a few hours Granger and I inevitably became separated and until she found her way to the ladies room I'd kept an eye on her all night. When I finally found her again, cornered by _another _reporter I was relieved, but before I could take a step toward her, she crumpled to the ground. It was horrifying. When the healers first began a few hours ago they told me about internal bleeding on her brain. They said that it first occurred after the mission but when she tried to heal it she didn't do a thorough enough job and it kept coming back. With the extraction of her memories today and all the exhaustion and stress catching up with her the bleeding was worse than before, and they were doing everything they could for her. But it wasn't enough. I could have taken her to the hospital that night, I should have healed her myself and then taken her just to be sure. It was reckless of me to allow her to spread herself so thin. We kept putting off relaxation over and over but we shouldn't have. We should have left town the moment the case closed, but more than that we should have had her injuries checked the moment we came back from the mission.

"There's nothing you could have done mate, you know how stubborn she can be." Potter tried to console me but I shot him a warning glare. Becoming Potter's "mate" was not exactly helping me right now.

"Draco, love, just have a seat. Your incessant pacing isn't helping anything." My mother said softly, but I ignored her. She sat up straight in her waiting chair, seemingly unaffected by the gaggle of redheads positioned on either side of her. If it were any other situation I would have laughed, but Granger was here and I couldn't even think about _smiling_ until I knew that she was safe.

It was a mistake to loll myself into this false sense of security before I left with her. I should have brought her kicking and screaming to St. Mungo's the night of the mission. As talented as Granger was as a healer, healing yourself is never the best option. I pinched the bridge of my nose, unable to calm myself even for a moment. Thankfully the St. Mungo's staff refused to let in the press. The last thing I needed was to kill someone because I lost my temper on my first night of freedom.

I'd turned my back for one moment and the next she sagged to the floor, right in front of me. She'd been complaining all week about a headache, and I was stupid enough to believe it was really _just _from the stress of it all. I'd allowed myself to watch her become ill over the course of the evening and I just stood by her side, watching.

After four hours of pacing the small length of the waiting room Potter and his wife decided to make a break for it, begging me to contact them with information as soon as it came. I brushed them off, but not as harshly as I could have, as annoying as the Potters were, they were the closest thing Hermione had to family and I was beginning to be able to stand them. The Weasley clan didn't stay much longer, making the same plea with me before they left.

When it was just my mother and I in the waiting room, I allowed myself to sag into the chair across from her, rubbing my eyes with the heels of my hands.

"You two looked lovely together tonight." She mused half-heartedly. Since the end of the war my Mother remained calm in all situations, offering her sound advice and demur conversation for distraction when I was stressed. In the earlier years I'd found her small talk quite infuriating, but now I withstood it, understanding that it was simply her way. I grunted in response, unable to form words. She idly clasped her hands together and gave me a small smile.

"I'm going to Paris next month. I'll be starting a life there, where the shopping is grandeur and the people are more civilized. While you and Miss Granger are traveling the world I expect you to stop in as often as you can." She said it very simply, as though she were telling me to pick up her mail. I stared at her, unable to form any words, unable to feel anything but the wrenching hole in my chest that ached for Granger to be next to me for this conversation.

"She will live of course. She's held up under much worse injuries, from far more sadistic wizards." She continued with a lofty tone. I should have been angry at my Mother for even speaking of the current situation we were in, but somehow it soothed me. I still was a wreck, but it hardly seemed fit after all Granger had been through, for her to die this way. If this was the world's way of punishing me for what I'd done then certainly they would spare Granger. If the world was trying to punish me it would be my mother in the hospital bed.

"We'll stop in often Mother." I agreed quietly. I watched as a small smile spread on her face. We sat in silence for a few long moments.

"You have become such a good man Draco." She whispered it softly between us, and I didn't have to look up at her to see the tears welling in her eyes. It surprised me that she would say that, I knew it was something that she believed, but for her to say it was quite a step for her, for both of us. My Mother and I would never be the Weasleys. We would never have boisterous family dinners and bicker about mashed potatoes then hug and kiss goodbye after exchanging I love yous. But this moment was a world away from where we'd been almost 7 years ago. This was the closest we would ever come to an apology, to an understanding of our mutual pain, and I was okay with that. I met her eyes and nodded slightly, acknowledging her statement.

"I love you mother." I said quietly. It was her turn to be slightly surprised as she took in my confession. She smiled brighter this time and nodded her head.

"I know." She said. She paused for a few moments and then spoke again with conviction. "When Miss Granger wakes up, I think you should tell her that you love her as well, if you haven't already." She stood up and fixed herself before continuing. "Your father hardly ever said it, especially not when he felt it and if that isn't motivation enough, nothing will be." She finished, leaving me dumbfounded as she strode for the fireplaces.

She'd left me on the verge of speechlessness, but she was right. Of all the things that my parents had done wrong, the simplest thing they could have fixed would have been to tell me that they loved me, or even to say it to each other. It took me a very long time to realize that I was not the monster my father was, nor the one he intended me to be. I would be dammed if I let three words that I knew to be true go unsaid because he made them uncomfortable for me my entire life.

"Mr. Malfoy, Hermione's awake." Before the healer even finished her sentence I was running. I was running down the halls to reach her room as fast as I could, because she was Hermione Granger and I actually loved her.

She was lying in the hospital bed, looking so small and vulnerable, but she was smiling at me. In that moment I realized how true it was when I told her that I needed her last night. I didn't want to see the world with anyone else. I didn't want to see anything with anyone else.

Her smile hit me like a wall, a wall that forced me to leave all my negative feelings and rage behind, because her happiness made me happy. After so many years of just going on, feeling nothing, I was finally at the finish line, but also the start of a brand new life, one where I could leave behind the things I'd done and the way I'd been raised. I could actually be happy. If Granger kept smiling at me like that, I could be happy for a very long time.

"Hey." She said hoarsely.

"Hey." I replied, crossing the room and taking her hands in mine. "Are you okay?" I asked quietly, but I couldn't keep the wavering from my voice.

"If you are." She replied. "I'm sorry I didn't listen to you before, I shouldn't have tried to heal myself." She pleaded but I silenced her with a harsh kiss that I felt couldn't wait a second longer.

"It doesn't matter." I murmured, her hands against my lips as I ran my mouth along her fingertips. "All that matters is that you're okay, because I can't travel the world by myself." I whispered. She let out a small chuckle.

"They said I can go tomorrow." She smiled.

"I love you." I made the deliberate decision to let the unfamiliar words fall from my lips and the shock on her face was almost alarming, but entirely expected. I could have said it in paradise, or picked any moment at any other time and it probably would have been more romantic, but I didn't care.

"Draco you don't have to—

"You're annoying. You make me sick with worry and you argue about things just to prove you're right. You look for the best in people, which is bloody irritating, but I guess that's a really good thing because you managed to find _something_ in me that wasn't so bad. So, I love you, I've probably loved you for a while now and I should have said it sooner, but now I have. So stop arguing with me on this one, you will never win. I'm sure you will pick a dozen other fights between here and the door tomorrow but don't even try on this one. I love you Granger, and not even that big bushy head of yours can dispute that." I knew she would argue, she wouldn't be Hermione if she didn't, but I made it clear that I wouldn't have it. We could fight and argue and bicker about whatever she wanted, but it wouldn't be this. There were very few thing I was 100 percent sure of, and one of them was that I loved Hermione Granger.

This time she was the one to clasp her hands around my neck and press her lips against mine. I let my hand tangle in her hair, finding comfort there as she nipped on my bottom lip. I smiled in response. If this was what being a lovesick bastard got me I would welcome it with open arms.

"Stay here?" Her question was barely audible against my lips but I heard her. I kicked off my shoes before sliding into the single bed and holding her against my chest. I stroked up and down her spine slowly, feeling something close to contentment washing over me. I fought the haziness of exhaustion for just another moment to finally answer her.

"Obviously."

* * *

><p><strong>an I hope that wasn't too anti-climatic for you! I know a lot of you were looking forward to seeing Draco and Hermione in Aruba and traveling the world, but I decided that this was a good place for this story to end. Not to fear though, I have a rather lengthy epilogue that will be done in three parts and will be pretty happy and fluffy. **

**Thanks so much for everyone who reviewed, favorited or alerted this story it's been great writing it and I hope you follow my next project which will be up soon! **

**The Epilogue will be here in a day or two! Thanks so much, I look forward to your thoughts! **

**-Onalee**


	25. Epilogue

**Part One: 2 Months Later **

"Did we miss it!" My chest was heaving with breathlessness as I stumbled out of the fireplace and into the stark white room where I found George Weasley.

"No, you're just in time; you missed the four hours of yelling and name-calling though." George rolled his eyes. "She just went to delivery." He added as an afterthought. I let out a breath I wasn't sure I was holding, relieved that I hadn't missed much. I allowed my heart rate to relax for a moment, until I jumped at the sound behind me.

"I hate to say I told you so but…" Draco was leaning against the fireplace I'd just stumbled through, looking completely serene with the whole situation. I scowled at his lack of urgency. This morning he'd waited until _after _he lured me into a long and sensual shower to mention fleetingly that Harry had called and my best friend was in labor. We almost didn't get here in time.

"I _did_ say that we wouldn't miss a thing." He smirked, pulling me towards him so he could lightly trail his fingertips up and down my back. I shivered at the contact, smiling before I could remind myself that I was irritated with him.

"Hermione, glad to see you made it, Ginny will be thrilled!" Arthur Weasley bounded around the corner, looking a bit ghastly as he gave me a huge hug.

"I can't wait to see her." I beamed back at him. The rest of the Weasley family was not far behind and after numerous hugs and "I miss yous" were exchanged we all settled into waiting.

Draco took the seat next to me, drawing small circles on the tops of my knees with his index finger. I glanced up at him through my lashes, still enthralled with how the sun had given his pale skin a new, healthy glow.

"So are you two back for good?" Bill queried, filling the silence in the room.

"Not quite yet." I answered vaguely. I glanced to Draco who smirked knowingly. We wouldn't be back for a while yet, in fact we'd made plans to travel for an entire year. We'd finally made it to Aruba when I was released from the hospital almost two months ago and every waking moment had been bliss. Even when Draco was being an obnoxious prat and we were fighting about anything and everything, it was perfect. His attitude and solid views kept me on my toes and stopped me from becoming complacent. He was cold and sarcastic but also intelligent, witty and achingly romantic. If anyone ever accused him of being _romantic_ though, he would probably send a solid hex their way.

"We actually plan on backpacking our way through a bit of Europe for a while." I added. Just as Bill began an interesting discussion of the terrain we were likely to encounter Harry ran in, nearly tripping over his own two feet. His grin reached his eyes that were red rimmed with happy tears.

"He's here."

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

I was never particularly fond of children. In fact I specifically remembered thinking that _this_ child would be a new brand of horrifying, considering its Weasley-Potter heritage. Maybe it was the mush of a man that Hermione's languid stares, intimate conversation and frequent sessions of love-making made me into; or perhaps it was the way that Granger's delicate frame held the bundle close to her body, staring down at him with pure adoration. But this child wasn't so bad.

"I can't believe he hasn't got red hair." Ginevra sighed for probably the tenth time since I'd entered the hospital room.

"It isn't all that surprising considering that Potter's jeans are probably the only ones more stubborn than a Weasley's." I commented with little to no malice. I still wasn't thrilled that Hermione insisted we leave our vacation for a few days to anoint Potter's kid into the world, but watching her rock the child made it a lot more difficult to hold a grudge. I was sure that when it started wailing I would have a change of heart, but in this moment I was content to watch the two of them, bonding.

"Do you want to hold him Malfoy?" Ginny asked pleasantly. I snapped my head in her direction, staring at her incredulously. I expected to see her laughing or smirking, but she was serious. It must have been the drugs they had her on. Nobody would ever offer me the first-born Weasley-Potter to cradle in my arms, it just wasn't rational.

"I'll pass." I muttered quickly; tearing my stare away from the ginger witch.

"Come on Malfoy, hold him." She urged again. I stole a glance at Potter, who shifted uncomfortably at her side.

"Here Draco." In the moment I looked away, Hermione had shifted toward me extending the small bundle of heat into my reluctant arms.

"That's it, watch his head." Granger cooed, positioning my stiff limbs in the right position to hold him. Then she let go. I made the mistake of looking down at the little thing, sleeping in _my _embrace. It was such a bizarre experience. Of course I knew what a baby looked like, but seeing him in my arms just made everything about him seem so much _smaller. _He was so helpless and endearing, it was almost sickening, but I couldn't pull my eyes away.

"You owe me ten galleons Ron!" George's voice broke through the sentimental silence that filled the room. Ronald rolled his eyes, thrusting a fist into his pocket to search for change. Ginny sent her brother a quizzical glare.

"He bet me you wouldn't let Draco hold him." He beamed, clearly unaffected by who was currently rocking his newest nephew.

"Piss off George." Ron mumbled before brushing past his brother to stand a foot in front of me. Normally I would be infuriated that the Weasel was even this close to me, let alone making bets at my expense, but with the tiny child cradled in my arms my anger was only a dull irritation. He held out his hands, as though he expected me to plop the infant into his arms. Without even making eye contact with him I sidestepped him, and made my way towards Ginny, placing her fragile son back into her caress. Ron made an incoherent noise that resembled a weak insult and Potter shot him a warning glare, sending a full blown smirk across my face.

After a round of overly-hormonal goodbyes and promises that we would visit twice as often, Granger and I made our way back to Paris, where we'd been catching up with my mother between stops in Luxembourg and Bordeaux.

"Do you want children?" Hermione asked softly from the other side of the bedroom we were sharing as she changed into her nightclothes, though I hardly understood why she bothered with them anymore. The question caught me off guard, but I suppose it shouldn't have. I saw the way Hermione looked longingly at the newest addition to the Potter family. In that moment she looked so beautiful that it had been hard to tear my eyes away from her for even a moment. It would be an outright lie to say that I didn't imagine what it might be like for her to be holding _our_ child. It was a fleeting thought. It was only for a second that I pictured a tiny child with Grangers delicate nose and my pale hair.

I'd never even thought of having children before Hermione. It was only nature that I would be hesitant to bring a child into the world, for fear of repeating the same mistakes my father did, the ones that made me into the coward I was. No, I never wanted children. Hermione did, of course. Why wouldn't she? And she made it sound like such a good idea. No, I didn't want children, but I could, someday.

I crossed the room and wrapped an arm around her waist from behind, nuzzling my nose in her hair. She sighed contently and I trailed my lips from the top of her shoulder to her neck and back again. I thought carefully about my answer to her question, not wanting to give her the wrong idea. She slowly turned herself in my embrace, placing one hand softly on my chest and the other reached up to cup my cheek, willing me to look into her eyes.

"That's not the no I was expecting." She said softly with a smile on her face that had her eyes lighting up.

"It's not exactly a yes either Granger." I assured her, unable to tear myself from her gaze. When she looked at me like this I was always baffled. It was like she was looking at the most incredible thing in the world, like she was looking right into her bright and happy future. It was the way that I often looked at her while she was sleeping into the blissful morning hours of each day.

"We have time."

* * *

><p><strong>Part Two: Three Years Later <strong>

I twisted my wedding ring absently around my finger, trying not to focus on the news, the _good _news. At least I thought it was good. I _hoped_ it was good. I decided that no matter how much longer I stayed at the office my mind wasn't in the right place to be going over anything important, so I packed up my things preparing to spend my afternoon at home, trying to at least keep some allusion of calm until Draco came home tonight.

"Amanda, will you clear my schedule for the day and take my calls please?" I asked my secretary, nearly forgetting to ask her before breezing by on my way out.

"Of course Mrs. Malfoy." She answered diligently. She was already and year and a half on the job and still refused to call me Hermione. Any other day I would have corrected her _again_, but I needed to get home before I had a meltdown.

"Oi Hermione!" I almost ran directly into Harry near the ministry fireplaces in my haste to exit the building. I flushed with embarrassment.

"Sorry Harry." I mumbled, brushing myself off before fixing a forced smile onto my face.

"I haven't seen you are the office too much, but I suppose those are the perils of being the boss right?" He beamed. After Draco and I had spent a year abroad I immediately knew what I wanted to do. While Draco seemed to think that I should become the minister of magic, and spent countless hours debating the pros and cons of the issue with me, I considered it a non-topic because I had no interest in the job. I went back to the ministry and quickly became the new head of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. It quickly became a passion for me and I thrived at my position, today of course was the exception.

"I suppose that's true, how are Ginny and the kids?" I internally winced, remembering the rather painful labor that I witnessed Ginny go through only six months ago, and it made my insides slosh with nausea.

"Great, they're great." He beamed. "Albus is sleeping through the night now and James is talking. We thought he had a magical outburst the other day." He began. "He started to cry and all the silver in the kitchen started flying out. Ginny had a near heart attack until George came out laughing his fool head off. She gave him a good bat boogey hex for that one." He said proudly. I smiled in spite of myself, no longer feeling so sick from my own anxiety.

"How's Draco?" He asked happily.

Since the announcement of our engagement Harry and Draco had both put in quite an obvious effort to be civil with one another, but in time we'd learned that he'd gotten along better with Ginny. Whenever those two were in a room together all they did was bitch and moan and take cheap shots at each other's spouses, sometimes even their own. They never showed anything other than contained tolerance for one another, but I suspected that their bond was a little bit more like family than either one wanted to admit. One afternoon after Albus was born Ginny casually referred to Draco as his Godfather, and though he tried to wear a mask of indifference I saw the way his eyes lit up.

Ever since then Draco held a certain fondness towards Albus, constantly comparing his development with that of James', _my_ godson. I almost laughed, feeling a little more pressure lifted from my chest, perhaps this news would really be good for Draco.

"He's doing well. Business has really taken off since he invested in those new companies." I smiled. When we'd come back from our trip Draco decided to do an overhaul of everything _Malfoy_ and I couldn't be prouder of him. In addition to completely renovating the manor, he took over his Father's company and reinvested almost all of the money, pulling the entire structure of the company and starting from scratch. It was a huge risk, and for the first year all he did was work. But now things had settled down and he was making more money than his father used to, not that we needed any more.

"That's fantastic. Listen, come over for Dinner this Friday. Molly's trying to get the whole family together and we'd love to see you." He smiled.

"Okay, I'll check with Draco and send you an owl, but I'm really quite late Harry, so I've got to be going. It was lovely seeing you though!" About half way through my sentence I started a brisk pace towards to floo, determined to get out of here before I panicked _again. _I would have to relax until Draco came home. If he saw me like this he would certainly think something was wrong. I let out a breath of relief as I entered the foyer of our much too large Manor before deciding that I would head to the master bedroom and take the longest bath of my life.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

I exited the floo into the foyer nearly an hour late. I would have been worried that Granger would be upset if she had taken the time to answer my owl today. It was unlike her to leave one of my letters unanswered, but that must have meant her day was stressful too. I sighed, loosening the knot on my tie before heading to the dining room where she would be waiting.

When we both decided the join the workforce again we'd made a few rules. We agreed not to bring work home with us, not to work on weekends unless absolutely necessary, and most importantly we agreed to have dinner together _every _night. And we always did. On the rare occasion that one of us was late we would wait for the other, and if not I'd been known to storm into her office with takeout, demanding that she stop worrying about the rights of hippogriffs or whatever the hell it was she did in there.

"Hermione?" I stopped short when I found the dining room empty, glancing around one more to make sure I hadn't missed her although it was impossible that I would have. I took off my cloak and draped it over the back of one of the chairs before making my way to the library, deciding that if she was at work, she definitely would have owled me by now.

It was a really difficult transition, going from spending every waking moment with Granger to spending most of our days apart. It wasn't all bad of course, as much as I loved Hermione she was still as irritating as they came, and a little time away did make the sex that much better, which up until that point I doubted was possible. It took a while to get Granger to free her inhibitions, but it was nothing I couldn't manage after a month of having her all to myself.

It was five months into our trip when I'd decided to make her my wife, and seven months before I asked. Deciding to spend the rest of my life with Hermione was not a lofty decision, nor was it one that I had any trouble deciding upon. However, asking her was another ordeal entirely. After planning out a romantic stroll through some of the most beautiful sights in Morocco and practicing a ridiculous speech that I thought might be convincing enough she beat me to the punch. It was in the shower actually. Between her sucking on my mouth and washing each other with foamy soaps she said she would love to spend the rest of her life with me. And it seemed like the perfect moment. Perhaps it was because my Mother kept telling me that when the moment came, I would know. Or maybe it was because she looked so agreeable in that moment, but for whatever reason I used bit of wandless magic and accioed the ring before kneeling beneath the shower head and asking her to be my wife. The way she gushes about it when she tells the story makes me think I _should_ have planned it that way.

The smile I wore from the memory faded into a frown when I saw no sight of her in the library, and no indication that she'd been there. I let out a huff of frustration, because this wasn't like her, before I climbed the stairs to our bedroom, hoping I would find her there before being forced to take other measures.

After we were engaged we decided to take it slow and have a lengthy engagement. We thought we would settle into jobs after our trip and get enough security there so we could take our honeymoon properly after a year or two. But that line of thinking didn't last long at all. We wanted to be married, and no matter how we thought about it waiting wasn't the right solution. My Mother planned the wedding. We'd been reluctant to let her do it at first, but it had been perfect. There were only twenty or so people, the only ones that mattered to either of us, gathered on a beach back in Aruba at sunset. We spent the last month of our trip as husband and wife back where we started it, deciding it was the perfect spot for our wedding and the honeymoon. When I thought things couldn't be any better we settled into Malfoy manor and rounded out our lives with full careers, things were going so smoothly that I was almost waiting for something to go wrong.

I sighed in relief when I spotted the trail of Hermione's clothes leading into the master bath, and began to unbutton my shirt as I made my way to the tub. I paused, smiling at the state she was in. She was asleep in the tub, pruned beyond belief with a pile of books next to her, it didn't even look like she'd cracked one open before giving into the exhaustion. Her hair was frazzled as usual, and if it didn't look like she'd been in there so long I wouldn't have wanted to wake her up.

"Hermione." I said softly, pressing a soft kiss against her lips. She jumped, sloshing around the water in the tub.

"Draco!" She looked surprised.

"Expecting anyone else?" I raised any eyebrow, giving her a smirk.

"No, what time is it?"

"Half-six." I replied smoothly, her behavior was a little off.

"You're late." She deadpanned. She wasn't angry, just stating facts.

"You would have known had you gotten my owl, but I take it you took the afternoon off?" I asked again, curious. She hardly ever took off work. Even when she was deathly ill I had to practically strap her to the bed to get her to stay in.

"Oh, Sorry, yes. I did take the afternoon." She muttered quickly, avoiding my gaze as she stood up and threw a robe over herself. I frowned at her response, this was _very_ unlike her.

"I was ill." She replied simply, once again not meeting my eyes as she dried off.

"That same stomach bug then?" I asked suspiciously, waiting for her to elaborate. Hermione hardly ever kept secrets. It was one thing I made clear I wouldn't tolerate in a marriage. When one of us kept a secret it didn't bode well for either party. Even for the most innocent reasons secret keeping always exploded into a fight, and I was not in the mood.

She nodded, but then sighed, bracing the sink and closing her eyes tightly, as though she was willing herself to disappear. I drew my eyebrows together in concern before sliding my arms around her waist from behind and pressing my lips to the hollow beneath her ear.

"What is it love?" I asked, trying not to sound as concerned as I was. Hermione hardly kept anything she was upset about from me. She hardly kept anything from me at all. She took several deep breaths, which only added to my anticipation before turning in my arms to face me, pressing her forehead against mine.

"Draco, I asked you a question a really long time ago and you never answered it." She said shakily, fear evident in her voice, but I wasn't following.

"What was the question?" I deadpanned, not in the mood for riddles.

"I asked you if you wanted kids, and you said, we have time." She nibbled on her bottom lip nervously. I tensed, my eyes opening wide as I pulled my forehead from hers to look into her eyes. My heartbeat picked up and adrenaline rushed through my veins.

"What are you saying Hermione?" I rushed out and she paused, biting her lip again.

"Time's up." The words sat between us for one heartbeat and then I was taking her into my arms and kissing every inch of her I could reach.

"You're serious? You're Pregnant?" I mumbled against her lips, but I didn't give her a chance to answer before I hungrily devoured her mouth, a smile breaking across my face.

"You're happy?" She was grinning too and she looked almost as surprised as I felt.

"You're having a baby, _my_ baby. Of course I am Granger, how could I not be?" I let out a dry laugh before pulling her close again and snogging her senseless.

"I just, you never answered, I- I didn't know." Her voice cracked and tears of elation and relief rolled down her perfect cheeks. I brushed them away with my thumbs, holding her gaze for longer than necessary so she could see the sincerity in my eyes and the joy that I knew had to be reflected there.

"This is perfect, you're perfect." I whispered, too overwhelmed to think of anything else I could possibly say. I may not have been thinking of a baby, but somewhere in the back of my mind I knew that I could someday want one. I knew that when the time was right I would be able to tell her that I was ready and that we would try, but right now _was_ perfect. We were having a baby, a baby that was going to be part Hermione and part me. She laughed and sobbed in the same breath, crushing our lips together with a kiss that only highlighted this amazing and life changing moment. I didn't have anything to say, there was nothing I could say to make this better than it already was. So I smirked at her and nipped at her lip before whispering,

"I bet you anything it'll be a Slytherin.".

* * *

><p><strong>Part Three: 14 Years Later<strong>

"I still don't see the appeal of that." Draco frowned down at the orange tabby cat purring against his legs that both Cassie and I had grown quite fond of.

"Don't pretend you don't pet her when you think nobody's looking Dad!" My youngest daughter smirked at her father. Though he tried to hide it, his eyes lit up with something close to adoration.

"I would never." He acted mock offended before shifting his attention to the Potter family who'd just made their way onto the platform as well.

"Scor! Come on let's go get a compartment before all the good ones are gone!" Shouted Albus Potter. Scorpius' eyes lit up at the idea. Albus and Scorpius were just over a year apart in age, and they caused more mayhem in both the Potter and Malfoy homes than I could ever have imagined. They were the second coming of Fred and George, only worse because they were both in _Slytherin_ and trained by George himself.

"Bye Dad, I'll send you letters and stuff, thanks for the broom, Love you!" Scorpius gave Draco a tight hug.

"Love you too son, and if you don't _actually_ write, you won't be getting a new broom ever again." He grinned. Scorpius rolled his eyes and smiled before latching his arms around my waist. I enveloped him in a hug that I knew would be embarrassing, but I didn't care.

"Oh for Merlin's sake Hermione people are staring." Draco sniggered, but I ignored him. This year would be the first that both of the kids would be off to Hogwarts and I didn't know how to feel about that. I hated that they were so far away, but they _loved_ Hogwarts, and it helped that their extended family made the place seem like home.

"Alright mum that's enough. I'm a _third year_ now. I can't be seen sobbing in my Mother's coat at platform 9 and ¾ _again_." He stressed, Draco barked out a laugh but once again I ignored him. Scorpius was growing up far too fast, he was a little man now, spitting image of his father with only a few features that represented me, mainly his eyes. His witty personality was also quite like his fathers', minus the superiority complex.

"Alright, I love you darling." I said, kissing his cheek and hugging him to me tightly once again.

"Love you too mum." I let go, and just before he took off Draco snatched up his arm, pulling him closely to whisper in his ear.

"Remember what I told you son. You look out for Cassie, if anyone lays so much as a finger on her, deal with them, and then write me so I can deal with their father." I smiled at his protective nature, fortunately Draco didn't have to remind Scorpius of that. He'd always been fiercely protective of Cassiopeia, just like her father. It was one of the only reasons I wasn't having an anxiety attack about letting her go today. Besides I hardly thought anyone would bother her, the Granger and Malfoy names were well recognized in the wizarding world.

"Of course Dad, I _am_ a Malfoy." Scorpius replied suavely. In that moment he sounded so much like his father that I was nearly reduced to tears.

"I love that boy." Draco mumbled as he took my hand, watching as he ran past Ginny, who was still clutching onto Albus for her life. I chuckled at the scene before crouching down in front of Cassie.

"Are you ready darling?" I asked, but the question was more for me than her, tears were already springing to my eyes at the thought of an empty manor. She nodded nervously and I wrapped her in a hug, running my fingers through her silky auburn hair. It had always fascinated me that neither of my children were cursed with the frizz that I had.

"Alright Hermione, pass her over, we're almost out of time." Draco warned. I pulled back from her and smiled.

"You will be fantastic. I know it. You make sure to write every single week. Stick with Lilly, you two will be fine, I'm sure of it. I love you Cassie." I insisted, giving her a quick peck before turning her to Draco, trying not to let the tears fall from my eyes. I watched as he took her into his arms and held on tight, I knew he would have a hard time with this one too. Cassie had always been Daddy's little girl, and Draco had been wrapped around her finger from the very moment he first held her.

"I love you." He mumbled and she smiled, clutching onto him tightly.

"Love you too Dad." She replied. Draco had always taken a large amount of pride in the fact that his children called him Dad and not _Father_. The expression in that moment made him hold onto her a little tighter before pulling back.

"If anyone so much as looks at you the wrong way—

"I know Dad, Scor, Albus and James will look out for me, not that I need it. I've been doing my reading and I'm probably a year ahead of them in academically anyway." She grinned. I let out a small laugh this time. She'd certainly inherited my love for books and her father's confidence; she was a perfect blend of the both of us, as was Scorpius. Draco paused for a moment.

"You're going to be a Gryffindor aren't you?" He hugged her tightly again and then released her without giving her an opportunity to answer him.

"Have fun." I called after her as she took a brisk pace towards the express with Lilly next to her. I shook my head after them, tears freely falling.

"You too?" Ginny's voice broke, unable to hide the tears herself as she embraced me. We both jumped when we heard a small explosion come from the train and she let out a dry laugh.

"That would be our _boys_." She shook her head.

"I'm sure George and Ron had something to do with it too." Draco drawled, looping an arm tightly around my waist. I leaned into him, watching as the scarlet train left the station and our children stuck their heads out of windows waving frantically. I couldn't hold it together then, I let out a sob and Draco held me closer.

"Don't worry, if you want to visit I'm sure it won't be long until Scorp and Albus wind up in the headmasters office for something." He whispered. I smiled at the truth in his statement, content to lean on his shoulder as I watched the train disappear into the distance.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

I read through the short letter once more, beaming down at the words. I'd been right, Cassiopeia Malfoy was the very first of her kind, a Malfoy in Gryffindor. Every day for the past 11 years I'd been goading Hermione about our children ending up in Slytherin and when we first got the letter from Scorpius, it had been no surprise. There was no doubt that he was my son. From his mannerisms to his hair he was a Malfoy through and through, but he was also a sucker for his mum, which was probably something I'd raised him to be as well now that I thought about it. When Cassie was born, I thought that she would be just like Granger, and in a way I was right. Cassie was brilliant, she was practically reading before she took her first steps. She was confident, but without a sense of entitlement. She was a lot like her mother, but anyone would be blind not to see the Malfoy in her shining through.

When Albus ended up in Slytherin, I took full credit; after all he was _my_ godson. I got a kick out of watching Potter grimace when I sent package after package of silver and green attire to his doorstep that first year. Of course he promised he would return the favor with crimson and gold as soon as Cassie was sorted, and he'd been right.

"Draco, I got Scorpius' first letter!" Hermione squealed as she reeled around the corner into the library where I was seated at my desk.

"I've got Cassie's, switch?" I grinned. Her eyes lit up with the prospect. I tossed the letter her way and snatched up Scorpius' as she made herself comfortable on her favorite sofa. I watched her settle for a moment, still enthralled with how deeply I'd fallen in love with her. After the kids were born my bond with Granger only increased. We'd both been scared half to death when we brought home Scorpius. She insisted she didn't know how to be a mother, and I certainly had no idea what to expect from fatherhood. Instantly she forged a bond with him and watching the two of them became one of the most soothing experiences I'd ever had. My life became so full and perfect when we started our family and I should have known from the beginning that it was what I wanted. The perfect blend of Hermione and I in a child, our child.

I unfolded his letter with haste and began reading, hearing his voice in my head with every line. I ginned at the fact that he'd made the quidditch team, but it didn't come as a surprise. He'd been on his broom with Albus and James every day this summer, refusing to come down until he'd caught the snitch at least once each day.

I read through the letter, noticing that he mentioned Cassie's sorting. I snorted when he said she ended up in Hufflepuff, knowing Hermione would believe him. I narrowed my eyes at the next few lines when Scorpius mentioned that McLaggen's offspring had taken to Cassie straight away.

_But don't worry Dad, as promised, _

_I calmly informed him that there would be consequences _

_for causing any intentional or unintentional harm to my little sister. _

_Then Albus and I played a couple harmless gags on him so he seemed a little less appealing. _

"Oh get that look off your face; Cassie is probably mortified that the boys would embarrass her like that." Hermione rolled her eyes from the couch. I hadn't even noticed that I was beaming down at the parchment, proud of my son.

"She never mentioned it." I shrugged, smirking as I folded the letter back up and slid it in my desk drawer with the rest of them.

"She wouldn't, knowing you'd be reading." She scoffed. I chuckled before joining her on the sofa, finding a familiar comfort in holding her against me. She leaned back against my chest, letting out a sigh that sent a chill up my spine.

"I've been thinking." I began, lightly running my fingertips up the length of her exposed arm. "It's been a while since we went on holiday." I murmured against the soft flesh on her neck.

"Holiday sounds _lovely_." She cooed, snuggling closer to me so I could see her face.

"That hardly took convincing." I noted pleasantly. It usually took a small persistent army to tear Hermione from her work or children for even a day.

"For 14 years of excellent parenting, I'd say we deserve it." She shrugged, smiling up at me.

"My thoughts exactly." I craned my neck down to press my lips against her, still consumed by the soft passion of her every kiss.

"We could always kick off the holiday here, I can't _remember_ the last time we were actually alone in the Manor together." She with a sultry hint in her voice. Before I could respond a familiar owl tapped incessantly at the window.

"Leave it to Potter to continue ruining my life from afar." I grumbled, standing to untie the package from the owl's leg before watching it flit away.

"What is it?" Hermione wrapped her arms around my waist, pressing small kisses against my shoulder blade.

_Malfoy- _

_Heard the great news, pass my congratulations on to Cassie._

_Can't wait to see you in crimson and gold._

_-Potter_

I begrudgingly opened the package to find a rather revolting Gryffindor jumper in my size. I tensed when Hermione shook with laughter behind me, snatching the jumper to see it for herself.

"I never thought I'd see the day that Draco Malfoy was dressed in something like this." She got out between giggling fits. I scowled and snatched it back, tossing it aside to pull her towards me again. Once the laughter died down she grinned up at me.

"We make really great kids." She said seriously. I smiled and kissed her again, unable to stop myself.

"Of course we do, we're Malfoys." I teased. She swatted at my arm playfully.

"Let's go on Holiday. I don't think I'd like to make another, but practicing until I'm too tired to move sounds lovely." She said, resting her forehead against mine.

"Play now and pack later?" I mumbled between lengthening kisses.

"Obviously."

**A/n The end! I hope you guys liked it! I'm actually really happy with the way the epilogue turned out and I would really LOVE to hear your feedback on it. Thank you again to everyone who reviewed, alerted or favorited this story. Your reviews really kept me writing. **

**I'll be posting my next story within the week so please look out for that, I would love to hear your thoughts on that as well.**

**It's been lovely! Thanks so much! **

**-Onalee **


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